Future Hyrule: Courage Never Dies
by Hylian Shadow
Summary: Post series. Historian Link Masters knows plenty about the great legendary heroes, but once legend becomes reality, he finds out how much he still doesn't know. Evil threatens, and Hyrule must rely on a shadow who remembers what has been forgotten, a somewhat redeemed sorcerer, and the soul of a hero. Can a historian really be Hyrule's Chosen Hero? Eventual Link x Dark Link x Vaati
1. Nightfall

_Author's notes: Well, I'm continuing the future Hyrule stories. I'll take the chance to point out that while this is a "modern" Hyrule, it isn't quite the same as our world. Advanced or not, it's still Hyrule._

_Longer summary: Hyrule has prospered for thousands of years, and over those years the tales of ancient heroes has passed into legend. But it's said that the Hero will return when he is needed, and historian Link Masters is about to find out that the legends are real. Can he rise up and face his destiny, or is this all just some huge joke?_

_Warnings: language, violence in later chapters, innuendo and adult situations. Lots of references to other games. Thus far, there are only vague spoilers for _Adventure of Link_, but there will eventually be spoilers for the entire series._

* * *

**Nightfall**

It's late.

I sigh as I pull on my helmet. It always is now. I spend too much time at the museum, the archives, the lab for artifact preservation... As of late, my life revolves around my work.

That bothers me. I mean, I love what I do -- that's why I'm a historian -- but at the same time... I miss hanging out with the guys. The last night I had off was the night I went to the club with Marin, and it's been over a month since then.

At least Chambers hasn't said anything about being some legendary hero anymore. I chalk it all up to a joke, some kind of prank on the new guy. It's easiest that way. I try to pretend that I didn't have that strange vision at the club.

My motorcycle roars to life, and I pull out onto the street. The streets are mostly empty, but that's normal. This part of Northcastle is always dead this time of night. If I want noise and crowds, I can always head towards the university; it's always busy there.

But I want quiet, and I know a perfect place for that. East, towards the ocean, across the mountains. Parapa Desert, in the shadow of Mount Parapa. The legends say that the mountain was actually a temple once, but that in his efforts to awaken the sleeping princess, the hero who slew Ganon turned it into a mountain.

Sure, the shore is popular with beachgoers and boaters, but Mount Parapa and the great Stone Circle to the south are more interesting to me, and far less popular with the average person. I like them. They're both very peaceful and very ancient places, and there's just something about them that I like.

Which is why I'm driving out there tonight. Yeah, it's a silly reason, but well, sometimes I do silly things. I can't be serious all the time. I might end up like Chambers and start thinking the new hire's some reincarnated hero or something.

I roll my eyes at that thought. I still don't know where he got that idea in his head, but I wish the old man would get it _out_. It's embarrassing.

"Link, I'm not thinking about this anymore," I say aloud. Besides, I'm at the city limits already; there's nothing but miles of empty highway between me and the Desert Tunnel. I speed up, going faster and faster until I'm flying down the asphalt, and everything seems to fall away. For a few precious minutes, I'm _free._

It's a beautiful night. The sky is clear and moonless. The weather's cool, but not cold, although the wind I'm making by riding fast is chilly enough that I'm glad I've got my jacket and gloves. In some ways, it's a shame I don't have any of my gear in my bike's storage compartments; this would be a nice night to camp out.

And I'm at the Tunnel. The lights that line its walls seem bright, almost too much after driving in the dark. I narrow my eyes slightly. The Tunnel is completely empty, but that's not that much of a surprise. Who would be traveling to or from the little resort villages and state monuments after midnight in the early fall?

I don't bother slowing down. There's no one here, and I hardly _ever_ get the chance to push my Epona to its limits. It's a custom job, a one-of-a-kind bike that Mido claims is supposed to be one of the fastest bikes in Hyrule. But most of the riding I do is around Northcastle, and there's no way I can go all-out on those chaotic streets. I like my head to be on my shoulders.

Light gleams off of something behind me, something moving. There's actually someone else out here tonight? It takes me a minute to recognize the vehicle coming up behind me; it's a motorcycle, a black motorcycle with its lights off for some odd reason. I mean, I understand we're in a well-lit tunnel, but what kind of madman drives around with no lights this time of night?

The motorcycle pulls into the next lane, only to pull up beside me and match my speed. Light gleams off the rider's helmet as he glances over at me.

I glance back. He's dressed in black, the only color on him anywhere deep red stripes running down the sleeves of his jacket. And now that I can actually get a decent look at it, his motorcycle looks a lot like an Epona custom... except that shouldn't be possible.

He stares at me. I can't see his face, nor he mine, with all the lights reflecting off our visors, but I can still feel his gaze piercing into me. Why is he pacing me?

We leave the tunnel then; he turns his headlight on, still staring at me. Then he turns his head to look down the highway and nods his head towards one of the better lit overlooks. He wants me to pull over?

Should I? What if he wants to start trouble? No, if he wants to start trouble, he would have already started it. I pull into the parking lot, glad for the streetlights. I turn off the engine -- because, really, he probably wants to talk, and that'll be so much easier if we don't have to yell over each other's engines. I raise my visor.

He pulls up beside me and shuts his bike down, leaning back in the saddle before flipping his visor up and staring at me. His eyes are dark red. It's an unusual color. I know I don't know him. I know exactly one person with red eyes, and Sheik's are nowhere near that dark and vivid. And Sheik doesn't know how to ride a motorcycle, either.

"You wanted to talk about something?" I ask, leaning on the handlebars.

"I just wanted to talk to you, Link," he replies. I scowl. How does he know my name?

He snickers. "It's always so much fun messing with your head." He pulls his helmet off, shaking his shoulder-length hair free.

And all I can do is stare at him. Black hair, dark skin... but that isn't the weird part. The really weird part is his face. He... he looks almost exactly like me.

I yank my helmet off. "What's going on here?"

"You and I are talking."

"And who are you?"

He grins, flashing his fangs. Wait, _fangs_? Normal people don't have fangs! "I have a lot of names. I think I like Dark Link the best."

"Dark Link?" Dark me? "What are you, some kind of evil me?"

And he laughs, forcing out what sounds like "ask me that every time" between breaths and laughs. I glare at him; I don't find this the _least_ bit amusing.

Finally, he calms down, grinning broadly. "Is the night evil?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

He points at me. "The kind that Link needs to answer."

I sigh. "Fine. No, in and of itself, night is not evil." I close my eyes. What is he getting at? When I open my eyes again, he's right in front of me, staring deep into my eyes like he's looking for something. How did he dismount and walk several feet without me hearing him?

"I'm not evil either, Link. I'm just your shadow."

I look down at the ground. My shadow, a man on a motorcycle, stretches across the empty parking lot. He doesn't have a shadow, nor does his bike; the shadows say I'm alone, even though he's right in front of me. I reach up and put a hand on his shoulder. He's real, and he's warm.

But how can anything with substance not cast a shadow?

"Shadows don't cast shadows, Link."

"Shadows don't have substance, either!" I snap.

"I do," he says softly, smirking, leaning in until our noses are practically touching.

"All right then, what makes you such a special shadow?" I climb off my bike and step away, my boots crunching on the gravel. I want away from him.

He puts a hand on my bike and leans against it before grinning at me again. I barely hold back a shiver. "Well, you see, I'm not just _any_ shadow. I just so happen to be the Chosen Hero's shadow."

Wait, that means... _not this again._ "I'm not a hero!" I yell, glaring daggers at him. Chambers put him up to this, didn't he? That damned old man! No, that still doesn't explain why he looks so much like me, or why he isn't casting a shadow.

"Not yet, no." He shrugs. "But you've got that spark in you." He laughs at that, rocking his head back to stare up at the stars. "_Damn_, does that sound stupid." He shakes his head. "Look, there's a tiny part of your soul that never, ever changes, no matter what. That part is what makes the rest of you a hero. All you have to do is listen to it."

I cross my arms. "So what? I'm some reincarnated hero?" I snort. "How much is Chambers paying you to tell me this?"

"Who? I'm doing this on my own, you damned idiot. Besides, I can offer something that I'm betting this Chambers guy can't. Something that should force you to face the truth."

Uh-huh, I think. Keep trying. "And that is?"

"The Master Sword." He smirks. "Oh, wait, do you even recognize it by that name?"

I can't answer him; my mind is replaying my vision from the night I met Kafei, the image of a gleaming blade humming with power searing itself into my mind.

"_So_," he sounds pleased, "you do remember. Good. Bet that's all you know about it, isn't it?"

"Think about this, Link. The Master Sword, the blade of evil's bane, the sacred weapon of the Chosen Hero of Hyrule, the sword that has saved Hyrule countless times."

I stare at him. "That would be the single greatest find in Hylian history... Imagine what it would mean for all the legends of the hero if that sword could be proven to exist! You know where it is? Tell me!"

"Now, now, now," he says, walking over to the fence around the edge of the lot. "There's just one little detail that I haven't mentioned yet. Not just anyone can touch the sword. And therein lies my proof: anyone who desires that blade must prove himself worthy to bear it."

"How?"

"What? You think I know everything? I know where to go; I can lead you there." He turns around and looks at me. "That is, if you're brave enough to challenge the sword."

"I'm not a coward."

"Never said you were. Now, are you going?"

Didn't I just answer that? "Yes. Now where is it?"

"Aren't we forgetting something?" he whispers in my ear; when did he move? "For _one_, it's a good two days' ride to get there, and you'll need supplies. _Two_, you'll need a way to defend yourself. I'm going to assume someone like you knows how to use some kind of weapon?"

I turn and meet his gaze. "I'm good with a bow."

"Good enough. Now," he reaches up and starts tracing my jaw. "Go get your gear, and make sure you're ready for this. Allow a week, and be prepared to fight hard. Wouldn't want to make Mikau worry, now would you?"

"And how am I supposed to let you know I'm ready?" I'm not paying attention to his hand; I'm not feeling that weird feeling deep in my stomach.

"I'll know, Link. I know everything about you."

I step away. "No, you don't."

He grins coldly. "Oh, yes, I do. Let me see... I know all about the night you broke the spine of that old book Chambers was studying. You never have admitted to that, have you?"

No one's supposed to know that. I was the only one in the entire wing at the time; I've never told anyone. How does he know that?

"See? Your shadow sees everything you do. I'm always here, and I'm always watching." He kisses my forehead. This is getting really creepy. He acts like he's known me for years, but he can't. Can he...?

He walks away, climbing onto his motorcycle and pulling on his helmet. "See you around, Link!" And then he starts his bike and speeds away, towards Northcastle. He's riding without his lights on again. How can he even see? Can shadows see in the dark?

No, he can't be a shadow. He can't be _my_ shadow. Even if he does know about that book. Even if he does look so much like me.

I climb onto my bike and slide my helmet on, eyeing my reflection in one of the mirrors before slamming my visor down in place.

"See you around, whoever you are," I mutter, starting my bike. No, I'm _not_ calling him by the name he gave me. He isn't me. He doesn't deserve my name.

I pull back onto the highway and head for home, driving fast. This is all just stress. I need more sleep than I've been getting. I'm seeing things. That's the only explanation I can come up with that makes any sense at all, because shadows don't take form and walk and talk on their own. That isn't possible.

xXx

The apartment's empty when I get there. That's right; Mikau is at some dance contest with his girlfriend. I'd forgotten about that.

Well, since he isn't here to talk to, I guess I'll just go to bed. I stagger into my room and start to throw my jacket onto my desk like I always do, but there's already a jacket there: a black one with red stripes down the sleeves.

He's _here_? I snatch up my bow and an arrow and start searching, first my room and then the entire apartment. I know he's here somewhere.

He laughs. He's sitting on the couch, looking like he's made himself at home, except I know he hadn't been there when I walked through the room half a minute ago.

I nock the arrow and aim at him. "How'd you get in here?"

He eyes the arrow before saying flatly, "I'm your shadow, remember?"

"That's impossible!"

He stands up -- and then he has a bow in his hands, the arrow aimed at me, the weapon seemingly materializing out of thin air. "How many times am I going to have to explain this to you?"

"What?"

"I'm your shadow. What part of that is so damned hard to grasp?"

Fine. I'll focus on something else. "_Why_ are you here?"

"I have my reasons."

Yes, indeed, this is creepy, and it's getting worse by the minute. "That isn't good enough."

"Look, quit aiming that thing at me and maybe I'll talk."

_Maybe_? I slowly lower my bow, watching as he does the same. "All right, start talking."

He starts snickering again. "I didn't know you liked it so rough."

"Stop that!" He keeps acting like there's something between us. I don't know him! He can't know me!

"You never really change, do you?"

I hurl my bow to the floor. "I'm not who you think I am, Thrice damn it! I'm not this great hero! I'm a historian! Stop treating me like I'm someone else!"

He drops the bow, although I never hear it hit the floor, and wraps his arms around me. "It's okay. You'll understand soon enough."

"I don't _want_ to understand this!" This feels... familiar somehow. Why? I don't know him...

He sighs. "Stubborn as ever. I'm not going to hurt you."

He never has. I frown at that thought. How do I know that?

"And hopefully, you're not going to hurt me. Didn't think a historian would be so strong."

"I practice with my bow a lot." Why am I telling him this?

He starts walking slowly, his arms still around me, pulling me along with him. "I bet you're a damned good shot, too." He laughs. "Wait, this means I actually get to teach you how to use a sword, doesn't it?"

"Well... I don't know how to fight with one."

"Such irony! You're considering risking your life for something you can't even use!"

"It's an artifact," I mumble, suddenly very sleepy. "It needs to be preserved."

"Tch, it's _your_ sword."

"No, it isn't." I lean against him as we stop.

"Yes, it -- oh, whatever. You'll either figure it out, or you won't." He shoves me back, and I fall -- onto my bed? "Get some sleep."

"Okay," I say, curling up in the blanket. I hear him moving papers around on my desk. "You'd better not be messing up my notes."

He sighs. "I'm not going to. Good night, Link."

"Good night, Dark."

xXx

"_Yo, Link!_ You awake yet?"

I groan. "I am now..."

I had the weirdest dream last night. Meeting my shadow, finding out the Master Sword exists... I've got to stop working so late.

"C'mon! I've got something I wanna show you!"

Can't this wait? I climb slowly out of bed and stagger over to the door. Wait, there's something I don't recognize on my desk.

It's a map. A hand-drawn map that shows the way to something beyond the Road of Death. A small Triforce -- ha, ha, funny -- marks the small town of Waypoint, along with the words "meet here."

It... wasn't a dream. Dark is going to lead me to the Master Sword. No one is _ever_ going to believe this.

"Don't make me drag you out of there!"

I open the door and glare out at Mikau. He looks _far_ too perky for someone who's been up all night.

"We did it, Link! Lu and I won!" He holds up a trophy.

I blink. "You did? That's awesome, Mikau!"

"Yeah, we were going to call the gang up and go celebrate; you wanna come?"

"Sure." It'll be nice to get away from that map for a while, because I'm already starting my list of necessary gear, and I don't even know when I'll be able to leave.

I get ready fast, grabbing my jacket on the way out the door. It's warm, like someone just took it off.

Dark's been wearing my jacket? Why? He's got his own! _Damn_, can he be creepy...


	2. Waypoint

_Author's notes: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Nice to know you like it so far. Hope I can keep it interesting for all of you. Also, don't worry about it, Inukitsy; I know what it's like to be busy. And thanks for the compliment, DarkLink107. :)_

_And here's story two. I'm not really sure if these can be called chapters or not. Either way, on with the story._

* * *

**Waypoint**

I can't believe I'm doing this.

I mean, I'm not even completely sure if I can trust this Dark, or even if he really is who he claims to be, and even so I'm on my way to Waypoint to meet him. Assuming he shows up. No one knows I'm coming out here.

Mikau doesn't even know where I'm going, not really. I shake my head. I don't like lying to him -- I don't like lying to _anyone_ -- but there's no way he'd let me do this myself if he knew the truth. He thinks I'm going back to Kakariko City for a week or so.

Maybe I should. No, I _should_. I should go to Kakariko and visit with all my friends, maybe even see my old professors at Eldin College for a while. And at night, I could go out to Kakariko Canyon with all the others and race, just like we always used to...

No. I need to do this. I have to know if this is real or all just some trick. He will either be in Waypoint when I get there, or he won't be. And if he isn't, I can always head to Kakariko tomorrow. I feel like being nice; I'll give him until dawn to show up. It's not like he knows where I'm going, anyway. I haven't told anyone; I haven't even told anyone that I met him at all.

Therefore, he doesn't have any idea that I'm doing this... unless he's my shadow. Then he might know. But that isn't possible, so he won't show up. Simple as that.

I turn my attention back to the road; there's not really much reason to worry, as the highway is practically deserted. A perfect road to race on, I think.

Damn, do I miss Kakariko Canyon that much? I guess I do. It's been... what, over a year now since I moved to Northcastle?

Dark has an Epona Custom. Does he race? I can ask him when we meet up... except he's not showing up, idiot. Shadows don't walk and talk on their own; all they can do is follow their source.

I round a curve; I can see a town in the distance now. Death Mountain looms to the south, along with all the other mountains that surround it. Somewhere in there lies the Road of Death. And the Master Sword, if what Dark says is true.

In some ways, I want this to be real. I want to find the Master Sword. I... I want to be able to prove that the heroes of legend were more than just legends. But... I'm not a hero; I'm nothing more than a historian. It's not like I can properly use the Master Sword. Can I even prove myself worthy enough to remove it?

At the same time, I need to know exactly who Dark is. Crazy as his story sounds -- and as impossible as it is -- there's... there's something there between us, something _old_. The more I think about it, the more I think that somehow I know him... but I don't remember him, and I'm certain I'd remember a man who could be my twin brother!

The sun is setting as I pull into town. The town isn't very large, but it's big enough to support all the travel that comes by on the highway. I park my bike in front of a small diner and climb off, taking the chance to stretch my legs. I need to call Mikau, except... I pull my watch out of my pocket and flip it open. It's been long enough to drive from Northcastle to Kakariko. Yeah, I should call him, let him know I made it in one piece.

I don't want him to worry, because he's good at that. And if he gets worried enough, he's going to call Kakariko, and when no one there has seen me in months...

Thankfully, there's a phone booth outside the diner. I step inside and dial the apartment. Of course he isn't there; I get the answering machine, complete with Mikau's latest serenade. Normal people _say_ 'please leave a message.' Mikau _sings_ it.

I roll my eyes and lean against one of the walls. "Are you ever going to just talk on this thing, or do you sing into everything with a microphone?" I ask after the tone. "Anyway, it's Link. Just wanted to let you know I made it to Kakariko in one piece. Don't worry about me this week, all right? And don't bug the neighbors _too _much. See you next week." Then I step out of the booth and head into the diner, pausing just long enough to glance over at where my bike is parked.

There's a black Epona Custom parked beside it.

I swallow hard, my mind trying to come up with any number of excuses and lies, trying to explain all the ways that that can't be _his_ bike. None of it is true; there are exactly two bikes like that, mine and Dark's. He's telling the truth. He's my shadow. He's _me._

I shake my head and run a hand through my hair. Should I be happy... or should I be ready to freak out? I'm not really sure what I feel right now. Part of me is overjoyed that this is all real, but at the same time, this doesn't make sense! Shadows aren't supposed to be _alive_, and legends are all supposed to just be stories...

No, I'm not going to pretend to be able to explain this. I go inside. The diner's fairly busy, but it isn't hard to find him, sitting at a booth in the back. He grins as I walk over and slide into the seat across from him.

"I see you decided to come out here," he says, finally, that damned grin still on his face.

"I'm not even going to ask how you knew I was going to be here." In some ways, I want to know, but at the same time, I'm afraid that what he'll say is going to show just how connected we are. And that scares me a little.

He laughs. "Like I told you, I'm your shadow. I know these things."

I shift in my seat and glance out at the rest of the diner. No one really seems to be paying us any attention, but... "Can they see you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can other people see you, or just me? Do I look like I'm back here talking to myself?"

"Depends on whether I want anyone else to see me. Right now, yeah, I look like any other person; I'm being nice while we're in town. Don't need anyone thinking you're crazy. But," he leans back, "if I want, I can be completely invisible. And of course, I can just appear to you, which is what I'm going to do once we get out of town."

"Er, thanks... I think," I say, lowering my head to the table. Is he telling the truth or do I look crazy right now? I decide to not think about that, focusing instead on why we're here. "So, when do we head up the Road of Death?"

"Tomorrow morning. Death Road is a dangerous place during the day; it's best to avoid it at night. Hope you brought your bow; you'll need it. Anyway, I've got us a room at the inn for the night, so we might as well get some rest."

"Yes, I brought my bow. And plenty of arrows." I raise my head and look at him like he's crazy. "We have a room?"

He grins. "Yes, we have a room."

"How?"

"Because I rented us one."

"You have money?"

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes, pulling a purple rupee out of his wallet. "I have more money than you do, Link. Now, you coming?"

I sigh. "Food first, then sleep."

xXx

We have a room. A single. I set my gear down beside the door and scowl. I'm not sure what I think about sharing a bed.

"Where are we going to sleep?"

"I don't know where you're going to sleep, but I'm sleeping on the bed," Dark replies, flopping onto the bed and closing his eyes. "Ah, it's so comfy."

It's weird enough just being here, just sharing this room with him. Do I really want to share a bed? Then again, this is going to be my last chance at a bed for a week...

I glance over at him. "You'd better not steal the blanket."

"Don't worry," he says softly. "You won't need a blanket."

"Stop being creepy."

He sits up and looks at me before standing up and heading into the small bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower."

I sit on the edge of the bed and turn on the TV, flipping idly through the meager lineup. Local news; that'll work for some noise. The weather looks decent; the bubbly weathergirl predicts sunny days all week, at least for this part of Hyrule. Northcastle's going to get rain. Kakariko might see some early snow late in the week.

This is all so damned weird. I fall onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. I know why I'm here, but my mind still wants a rational explanation, and I can't give one. I need to be here; I know that. This is something I have to do. I sigh. Damn this intuition anyway.

What does the Master Sword look like? Has it been protected from the ravages of the elements, or is it all corroded and damaged? If it really is a sacred blade, it should be enchanted to not corrode, right?

"You aren't asleep already, are you?"

I prop myself up on my elbows. "No, I'm not -- Haven't you heard of _pants_?" He's naked. He's completely naked except for the towel he's using to dry his hair.

"What? I don't have a damned thing you don't." Dark looks at me like I'm crazy for a minute and then goes back to drying his hair.

I try not to stare at him -- am I really that muscular? -- but there's something small and black on his left hip. It's a tattoo... It's a little Triforce; the Triforce of Courage has a heavier border than the other two.

My hand slides down to my left hip, and I take a deep breath. "I'm getting my shower," I mumble, heading into the bathroom. I close the door and then fall against it. No, I'm seeing things. I didn't just see that.

I throw off my clothing and stare at my reflection. Normally the gold on my hip is comforting, but tonight... I reach down and slowly trace the shape of the Triforce. The bastard even has my tattoo. My personal, next-to-no-one-knows-it's-there tattoo. It's... Is _anything_ of mine really private anymore?

Does he know why I have it? Does he know why it looks like it does, with the Triforce of Courage given a thicker border? I don't know, and I can't ask. In the end, it doesn't really matter whether or not he knows about Kakariko Canyon. It doesn't. Because whether he knows or not, I was still there that night, and I'll remember that night the rest of my life. And I'll carry this mark the rest of my life. _That's_ all that really matters.

I try to focus on that thought as I shower, and it helps somewhat. Finished, I climb out and dry off. I start to pull my jeans on, but there are hands on mine and a voice in my ear.

"Wait."

Dark. He's standing right behind me, his head on my shoulder. How'd he get in here without me noticing? I freeze as he traces my tattoo.

"Never had a tattoo before," he says, his voice soft and thoughtful.

"It didn't just appear last night or anything," I mumble. Two years; that's how long it's been there. "Can I put my pants on now?"

He sighs. "Fine, it didn't appear last night. But it did _appear_. And this is my first chance to see yours. Fitting choice, really..." Dark snickers. "What's your problem anyway? We're just naked."

"You're being creepy again," is all I say, scowling.

He leans in and nips at my ear, tugging gently at my earring. "I'm being Dark."

"S-stop that." What does he think he's doing?

"Stop what?" His hand is sliding across my stomach...

"Stop groping me!"

"No."

"_Yes."_

"Make me."

I elbow him. He grunts and lets me go; I take my chance to yank my jeans on and get out of the bathroom. What is it about him and touching me like that?

"Playing rough again, are we?" he asks weakly, following me out of the bathroom, holding his side.

"I'm not _playing_ anything! Stop groping me!"

He flops onto the bed, still naked. I'm not looking at him; I'm _not._ "Really? I think you like it."

"Just -- _no_! This is wrong. You're... You're my shadow; you're me! This is... This is like some," my mind reels, trying to put all of this into words, finally latching onto the first thought that makes some vague sense, "some kind of twisted narcissistic masturbation!"

Dark laughs triumphantly. "You have the strangest way of describing us."

"There isn't an us!"

"Oh, really." He sits up and stares at me, then, something ancient and unreadable in his gaze. It makes me feel tiny, almost like for a minute or two we leave the normal flow of time.

"How old are you?" I whisper.

"Never bothered counting. Older than you think I am."

What has he seen over the years? "What's it like?"

"I'm not always awake. If Link isn't alive, I sleep. Every time I wake up, I look a bit different. It..." He looks right at me, those red eyes piercing through me. "It gets lonely."

What is it like... waking up with a different face? That's -- that's a really scary thought, having every aspect of his appearance based on someone else.

"I... I'm sorry," I say, sitting on the bed.

"You don't need to apologize, Link. That's just how we are." He grins. "What made you turn so serious all of a sudden?"

"I'm just thinking." Which is true; I'm trying to wrap my head around how he lives. And as if everything else isn't enough, every time he meets the person he's based on, he has to explain this all over again. What kind of existence is that?

Dark pulls me down onto my back beside him. "You're thinking too much. You're supposed to be resting for the trip, remember?"

I close my eyes. "You've been to where the Master Sword is, haven't you? That's how you know where it is."

"I was there when Ganon's slayer laid it to rest." He leans in and nips at my ear again, some of his hair brushing my cheek.

And for some reason, I smell flowers. I feel them, too, the petals brushing at my arms and body while a breeze tugs at my hair. And then the weird vision is gone, and I find myself staring up at the empty ceiling again. Where did _that_ come from?

"Link, you still awake?"

"Y-yeah..."

Dark sits up and scowls down at me. "What got into you? You sound like you just saw a ghost."

"I think it's more like I was a ghost for a second," I say softly. That... I don't have any memories of laying around a field of flowers. But if it isn't my memory, whose memory is it and why is it in my head?

He flops back down. "Hmm. You're still thinking too much." He sounds thoughtful and slightly pained; what's that about? "Get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day." With that, he rolls onto his side, his back to me.

I want to ask him why he sounds so hurt, but I can't make my voice work. Did I say something that offended him? No, I'm not going to think about that right now. I stare up at the ceiling for a minute. My throat stops feeling so tight.

I have to ask. "Dark, did I say something wrong?"

"No. Just..." he sighs. "For a second you reminded me of someone else."

A prior Link? "You were close."

He just makes a soft noise in his throat and rolls over to look at me. There's something really strange about the way he's staring at me, almost like he's not seeing _me_. And then he leans in and kisses my forehead, whispering something in an older form of Hylian.

"What...?" is all I can say.

"I said sleep well."

"Oh. Same to you."

He grins and closes his eyes. I relax, although some small part of my mind says he's lying, and that he didn't say "sleep well." I try not to focus on that thought, because I don't know that language, and if he doesn't want to tell me what he said then there's no way I can make him.

That doesn't keep that part of my mind from wondering what he really said as I fall asleep.


	3. The Great Palace

_Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Here's story three. T__his one is a lot longer than the earlier ones -- over twice as long._

* * *

**The Great Palace**

I'm crazy. I'm completely _crazy._ That's the only explanation I have for why I'm driving as fast as I can through a narrow canyon through a mob of things out of my nightmares and --

A spear flies past my head, close enough that I could hear if not for my helmet and Epona's roaring engine. But there's not a chance I'm taking my helmet off, because there are things throwing _spears _at my head and I don't want to _die._

Part of me is trying to figure out how the bottom of this canyon could make such a perfect road, but the rest of my mind is screaming _faster faster don't fall behind_ too loud to figure it out. What is Dark thinking? He's ahead of me, leading the way through the canyon; I don't even really see _him_, only the cloud of dust his Epona leaves behind as it speeds down the Road of Death.

I think I see why it's called a road. And I know why it's called Death -- because that's what it is, mile after mile of spear-slinging _death._ How did Ganon's Slayer get through here? If not for my bike, I'd be dead. What about Dark? Could he fight his way through this mob?

...what in the name of all that's holy am I even _doing here_? I can't fight! All I can do is hold the accelerator down as far as it goes and pray I don't crash.

The canyon gets narrower ahead of me and then opens out into something larger. I can just make out the shape of something tall and mound-like -- a hill? -- ahead of us. The cloud of dust in front of me starts to fade, and now I can see Dark -- parked sideways ahead of me!

I slam the brake and yank the handlebars hard to the left and almost lay my bike on its side, but I dodge Dark and get myself stopped. We almost crashed, but we didn't. I'm okay; I'm okay... No, _not_ okay; need to move, need to go before those things catch up to me.

My bike's not running anymore; why not? Did it stall when I made that wild dodge? Maybe I turned it off... Doesn't matter. It needs to be running. My fingers fumble with the ignition, but my hands are shaking too much and I can't grip it long enough to start the bike. I'm going to die. Those monsters can't be far away and they're coming and I'm going to die here.

I'm going to die, and no one is ever going to know.

Something grabs me around the waist and starts lifting me off the bike. Something's got me! I try to kick at it, but my bike's in the way. I can't break its grip, but that doesn't stop me from trying, yelling and thrashing in its arms. I have to get it away from me. I won't let it have me! It yanks my helmet off. Or maybe the struggle pulls it off; I don't know. It doesn't matter, because either way I just lost the closest thing to armor I have. It's going to kill me!

"Link!"

Dark sounds close. Why isn't he helping me? Why isn't the monster attacking?

"Link, snap out of it!" His voice is close, practically in my ear.

"D-Dark?"

"Yeah?" His voice is softer now, but it's still close.

"Is that... you?"

He laughs; the thing holding me vibrates with the sound. "You tell me."

It _is_ him. "Why'd you grab me like that?"

"I was _trying_ to tell you that we're safe in here, but you went crazy as soon as I touched you."

"Things have been trying to kill me for hours and then you just grab me!" I snap. "How was I supposed to know we're safe? And what makes you so sure we are?"

He points towards the mouth of the canyon. "Because the monsters aren't willing to enter this valley. They never have been."

They _aren't_ coming in here; some of them are standing at the canyon entrance yelling and waving their spears, but behind them others are walking away. Why won't they come in here?

"What are they afraid of?" I ask. I don't see anything in this valley except for the mound of rock near the middle. Unless... there's something in that mound that's even nastier than that mob.

I don't think I want to be here anymore. I'm in over my head.

"The creatures in the Great Palace," Dark replies. "This place held the Triforce of Courage; it wasn't left unguarded." He leans his head on my shoulder. "I told you this wasn't going to be easy."

"That was the closest I've ever come to dying." This is crazy. I'm crazy. I should take the first chance I get to head back to Waypoint, to home. Coming here is nothing more than a mistake.

He laughs and lets me go, walking over to his bike. "Never thought I'd see you get so frantic. It was cute."

Cute? I nearly have a heart attack, and he thinks it's _cute_? "That isn't funny." I need something to focus on besides what just happened. "Where's this Great Palace, anyway? I don't see anything."

"It's been a long time, Link. Things get old. Things fall apart." He slings his pack over his shoulder and gestures towards the mound. "And you're not as good at seeing details as I thought you'd be, Historian."

"Sorry, I'm not very good at paying attention when I'm worried about _dying_!" I shake my head. Why am I even trying to explain this? He's obviously completely and totally oblivious to how close I came to getting run through with a spear. Or five. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm setting up camp. Unless," he says, grinning, "you want to go inside tonight."

I lean forward on the handlebars. My heart's finally returning to its normal rhythm, and I'm not shaking quite as much. "No, sleep is fine. Just how do we know it's safe here?"

"I already told you nothing comes in here. Damn, didn't realize you were so whiny."

"I'm not whining; I'm trying to make sure everything's covered -- which is something you most certainly _did not do._ You never mentioned anything about having to ride through a gauntlet and pray that monsters can't aim well enough to hit a moving target!"

Dark brushes some dust off his pants. "Would that really have changed your mind?" He's giving me a weird look, like he's trying to see through me, or maybe like he's looking at someone else.

I look down at my bike, staring at the little pewter horse dangling from my keyring. The guys in Kakariko would never believe me if I told them about this. I'd just survived the wildest ride of my life, and I can't tell anyone, because I'll sound crazy. Great Palace, Master Sword -- wait, the Master Sword. That's why I'm here.

I lift my head and look over at the mound. The late afternoon sunlight dances over its surfaces, the shadows showing lines and gentle curves, but those aren't the shapes of rocks. There's a crumbling column and there's a drooping roofand_ there's_ part of a wall... It's not a mound -- it's ruins! It's a ruined building!

"I expect an answer to that, Link," he growls.

I ignore him, climbing slowly off my bike and walking towards the mound. The last time anyone was here was when Ganon's Slayer claimed the Triforce of Courage and then left to awaken the sleeping princess. How long ago was that?

We're the first people to see this place in centuries! We're the first people here since the hero... I reach up and put my hand on one of the columns, the weathered and time-scarred rock warm against my skin. _He_ was here, and now I'm here.

If only Chambers could be here... This -- this is what we've been looking for all along! This is what I've dreamed of finding my entire life!

"There's a mob of monsters waiting at the entrance to the canyon," Dark whispers in my ear.

"I don't care." And I don't, not anymore, because I'm _here_. I'm following in the hero's footsteps -- I have physical, tangible proof that at least part of one of the legends is real. The Great Palace is real. And I'm touching it.

Dark reaches up and puts his hand on mine. "It's a column."

"It's the Great Palace..."

"It looked a lot better before time got ahold of it."

That's right; Dark's been here before. "I'm sure it was." I try to picture it. The columns would be standing straight and in rows, the bricks gleaming in the sun... I think I understand where it got its name now.

"You calmed down fast enough." He chuckles. "Now I know your secret; anytime I need you to calm down, I'll just find something old and wave it in front of your face."

"That's not funny!" I snap, turning towards him. "You just don't understand, Dark. This is what Chambers and I are trying to prove: that the heroes in the legends aren't just myths. They were real men. This place... Chambers has been trying to find this place for over a decade!"

"You can't tell him, Link."

"What?"

His face is blank. "I swore that I would lead exactly one person here: the next hero. Not some treasure hunter or a thrill seeker or even a historian. No one else can know about this place."

But -- but -- _why_? "Why not? What will it hurt?"

"It's too dangerous for anyone else to come here!"

"Which is why you brought me here?"

He grits his teeth. "I'm not sharing this palace with _anyone_, Link. You know what they're going to do if they find this place, don't you? They're going to crawl all over it and document everything, and then they're going to take the interesting pieces of it and _cart them away." _His voice is low and dangerous; a chill runs down my spine at the sound of it. "This place belongs to me, and it belongs to you. I won't let anyone desecrate this place, Link."

I swallow hard. That's right; this place is alive with memories for him. I'm over here already mapping the area in my head, while he's remembering what happened last time he was here. Goddesses, I feel like an invader.

"I'm sor --" I start to say, but he cuts me off by throwing his arms around my shoulders and holding me tightly. He doesn't say anything; he just buries his face in my jacket and stands there, his shoulders shaking.

And I don't know what to do anymore. Not that I really knew what to do before, but now... Now time feels like a massive crushing weight, destroying everything and leaving nothing. I've never felt so powerless before. But Dark -- Dark's immortal; he sleeps and he wakes, but he never dies. He's seen things that have been lost forever. What is it like to see everything he knew crumble away and be forgotten?

I don't belong here, do I?

"Sorry," he finally says, his voice soft and rough, pushing me back and walking towards his bike. "We should set up camp."

xXx

"Camp", such as it is, is a pair of bedrolls and a lantern. We can't have a fire because there isn't any wood, and we didn't bring any because saddlebags only hold so much. It's not that cold out here, though, so it doesn't really matter.

Dark hasn't said anything since he stopped holding me. I haven't either; I'm too afraid to break the silence. The air feels heavy and almost reverent, except for the distant yells of the monsters. Apparently they're bedding down for the night as well. Dark sits on his bedroll, focusing on stitching up a tear -- no, a cut -- on his sleeve.

Every now and then, he looks over at me, but it's with that faraway look. I'm standing in for a ghost, a memory. This whole place feels ancient, like a reminder of a much older time. And if I let myself, I can almost imagine myself as the hero, camping out here with his goal right next to him...

My right shoulder hurts. I reach up and rub at it, wondering when I hurt it. The ride, maybe, or that frantic dodge I made so I didn't crash into Dark. But this doesn't feel right for that. I've pulled muscles jerking the handlebars before, but my shoulder feels more like I slammed it into something. Weird.

Dark looks up at me again, saying something in that strange older form of Hylian he used last night. It sounds like a question, I think.

I keep rubbing my shoulder, deciding not to answer. Besides, he probably won't tell me what he's really saying anyway. Not like it really matters -- it's no business of mine what he's saying to a ghost. I decide to focus on other things, like why my shoulder feels like I slammed it into a wall.

I lay down on the bedroll and stare up at the stars. It doesn't help the pain in my shoulder, but it does position me so I can't see the looks Dark keeps giving his ghost. I need to take some medicine for my shoulder, but I don't have much and what if I need it later? A sore shoulder could be the least of my worries tomorrow.

And now my head's getting fuzzy. I must be getting sleepy, but I don't feel _tired_, just fuzzy-headed. Must just be all the stress of the ride coupled with the knowledge that I can't tell anyone about this place... I shift, sucking in a quick breath as the pain in my shoulder gets worse for a second.

"Are you sure your shoulder's fine?"

"It just hurts is all," I say softly.

"Hmm." He sounds unconvinced. "I told you that you should've dodged that rock instead of blocking it."

All I remember are spears, and I didn't block anything... I sit up."What rock? I had spears come close enough to almost puncture my tires, but I didn't see any rocks."

"The one that --" he gets an odd look on his face. "You understood me?"

"I wouldn't have answered if I didn't."

"You don't understand. I wasn't talking to you. I wasn't speaking your Hylian."

What? "You had to be. I understood you."

He shakes his head and says something in old Hylian. Then, in modern: "Do you understand any of that?"

Oddly enough, I do. "Something about a memory; I didn't get it all." I shouldn't be able to get _any _of it; how can I pick out words here and there? "What's going on here?"

"How's your shoulder?"

It doesn't hurt now. Why isn't it hurting anymore? "It... it doesn't hurt anymore. What's happening?"

Dark doesn't say anything; he walks over and sits down beside me, gently rubbing my shoulder. I don't really need it, but... I don't really have it in me to stop him either.

"What's going on here, Dark?" I'm going crazy, aren't I? I'm completely losing my mind!

"When Link and I were on our way here, we were ambushed. We got out of it, but something threw a rock at Link, and like an idiot, he blocked it with his shield instead of dodging. His shoulder ached for weeks after that."

"I'm not him..." I protest weakly, but I can't even convince _myself_ of that right now. If I'm not him, why was my shoulder hurting like that? How can I understand Dark when he's talking in what is practically a different language? This... None of this makes any sense.

"Part of you is," he replies. "Part of you never changes."

"That isn't possible, Dark. I can't be someone who lived before. I'm just Link."

"Exactly," he says with a shrug. "I can't explain it any better. You're the Hero of Hyrule and I'm your shadow. That's how it is. That's how it almost always is."

I look over at the Great Palace. "Do you really think I'm a hero? I'm... I'm not so sure."

"But you came for the Master Sword."

"I need to see it, Dark. Even if I can't tell anyone else, just knowing that the hero was real... That would be enough."

He sighs and leans his head on my shoulder. "You're living proof the hero was real. _Is _real. Why do you need anything else?"

I shake my head. "Because I can't believe that. I just... I'm not a hero."

"You keep saying that. Why? Trying to convince yourself of that? Wait until tomorrow. Wait until you have the Master Sword. Then tell me that."

I close my eyes, picturing the Master Sword in my head. Wait just a minute... "The Master Sword only wakes up when evil threatens Hyrule."

"Yeah. Your point?"

"So... does this mean that something bad is going to happen?"

"No. You're not getting it to _wield _it; you're getting it just to guard it. If the need arises, you'll have it. If not, well, you and I will find another place and lay it to rest for the next Link. There's just one thing, Link. Every time you've been born, Hyrule's needed you. Sometimes you weren't up to the task, but whether you were or not, Hyrule needed her hero to save her from evil, usually Ganon."

A chill runs down my spine at that. "But Ganon's dead."

He sounds a bit nervous. "I know. Does that change anything? Do you still want to see the sword?"

It would be so easy to say no, to tell him I want to go home. But I'm so close, and I'll never forgive myself if I lose this chance at seeing history just because I'm confused and scared. I'm stronger than that.

"Yes, I still want to see it."

"Then we'll go in tomorrow. You should get some sleep. I'll keep watch, just in case."

I lay back down, thankful that my shoulder isn't hurting anymore but even more confused than I had been a few minutes ago. I really should just stop asking questions, because the more I try to figure out, the more confused I make myself.

xXx

The next morning, we walk towards the Great Palace. The entranceway is, like everything else, battered by time and nearly-ruined, but I can just imagine what this place would look like with all the columns standing in rows and gleaming in the sun. The air seems to hum faintly.

Dark stops in front of me; I nearly run into him because I'm not really watching him.

"Why are we stopping?" I have to ask.

He stares at the crumbled archway that guards the entrance to the Palace. "We can't go this way."

"What do you mean we can't go this way?"

"It's too unstable; it's probably going to collapse as we pass under it."

There's a comforting thought, I think darkly. What happens if we get inside and the only way out collapses behind us? What happens if we get inside and a room caves in? No, the Palace itself still looks stable; it's just the entrance -- which is raised and more exposed than any of the rest of it -- that looks ready to fall apart.

"Is there another way in?"

He starts walking, heading around the Palace. "Of course. There's a hidden entrance around the back. Well, when we were here last time, we used it as our exit, but the main entrance didn't look ready to fall down on top of us either. Besides, this one isn't nearly as showy, so it shouldn't be as crumbled."

It takes us well over an hour to find this hidden entrance. Just when I'm about to sit down and ask him if he's sure we're in the right spot, he yells triumphantly and yanks a large chunk of rock away from the wall, revealing a narrow passageway leading down into darkness. He's right; it isn't nearly as crumbled as the entrance.

"Can we go in this way?"

Dark examines the passage and nods. "Looks like it. Good thing I didn't bring my shield; it'd never fit."

"You have a shield?"

"I have a damned _beautiful_ shield. I'll show you sometime."

"You have a shield and you left it behind?"

He looks over at me and grins. "I'm not going to _need_ a shield, so I didn't bring it."

I raise an eyebrow. "You sound awfully certain of that."

"I am certain of that. Now come on; we've still got some walking to do. Are you ready?"

"Wait a minute," I say, digging my lantern out of my pack and turning it on. The passage gets dark fast, and there isn't going to be any light inside. And, unlike _someone_, I can't see in the dark. "All right, now I'm ready."

As ready as I can be, anyway. Something's going to happen. I'm not just going to be able to walk up and take the Master Sword. I don't know what, but something is going to happen. I take a deep breath, and with one last glance up at the morning sky, I follow Dark into the Great Palace.

Inside, the Palace is a labyrinth. A dark, broken, forgotten labyrinth. Dark, thankfully, seems to know where to go; he leads me through a winding series of crumbling corridors and half-broken bridges. Down four floors, up two, down again; it doesn't take long before I can't even remember how far below the surface we are. The air in here is cold and stale, and everything's covered in a thick layer of dust. The floor is broken in many places and littered with rubble, broken torch sconces, and pieces of rusted and battered armor. Nothing moves except for the two of us and the flickering shadows cast by my lantern.

We don't talk. There's no real need. I'm too busy examining the rooms as we pass through them and mulling over what happened last night. Dark is no doubt walking beside his ghost right now. My ghost? I shake my head and force that thought away. I don't really know what to think about any of this.

The air gets colder and I don't know if I need to be breathing this air; it's a miracle I _can_. I pull my bandana out of my pocket and tie it around the lower half of my face, although I'm not really sure what a little piece of cloth can do against the weight of hundreds of years of inactivity. It warms the air a bit, but nothing more.

For some reason, my bandana amuses Dark. I raise an eyebrow at him as he tries to hide a snicker and fails miserably.

"What?"

"Nothing." He snickers again.

What a way to break the silence, I think. "It's something. Are you going to tell me, or are you just going to keep laughing at me?"

He grins. "You just have to have something green on your head, don't you?"

So my bandana is green. How is this a problem? "I like green," I say. "And what do you mean by that? This is the first time I've done this around you."

"First time you've done it _knowing I'm here_, you mean."

I give him a pointed look. What has he done, spent his life following me around? "All right, that's creepy."

"Don't you remember me saying I can be completely invisible?" he sounds proud of himself.

"Yes, I do, but you never implied that I've had an invisible stalker before. That's _creepy_, Dark."

"I've just been keeping an eye on you. Anyway, Link always wore his floppy green hat. Except when I stole it, of course." Dark laughs, but it's tinged with sadness; his voice reverberates off the walls. "And then you do this. It's cute, but I think I like the hat better."

I sigh. This doesn't... I decide to focus on the least creepy thing he says. "If you expect me to wear a hat, then you're going to have to get me one."

"Or I could just tie that cloth of yours over your hair; close enough."

"Uh-huh." Why would he do that?

"You doubt me?" he asks, his eyes narrow. "Watch."

And with that, he yanks my bandana off and, ignoring my protests, ties it behind my ears so it covers the back of my head. "There! Now you look like you're wearing a hat."

This wouldn't be half as embarrassing if he didn't sound so pleased with himself. "Can we just find the Master Sword?" I muttering, reaching up and feeling my head. All my hair is now under my bandana except for my bangs and the hair in front of my ears. I don't think I look like too much of an idiot, although without a mirror I can't be certain. At least Dark's the only one who can see me like this.

He leans in close. "What? Don't you like my handiwork?"

"You're being creepy again."

He leans in closer; he's practically kissing me now. "Oh?"

"C-can we just go?"

"All right, we'll go. It's not much farther now!" he calls as he starts walking.

It isn't? This seems almost too easy. I start looking for any sign of danger; something is going to happen. I know it.

I try not to think too hard about that as I follow Dark down the hallway. This whole place is just eerie. I swear I see things moving just beyond the light, and the murals on the walls are intact and gleaming one moment and shattered and dull the next. And I hear things, too: wispy, ethereal voices that fade in and out. My head's getting fuzzy again; must be the stale air.

"All right, we made it," Dark says finally, stopping in the middle of a large circular room. "The Master Sword is through that door."

The door he points to has a massive stone chair in front of it, and sitting on that chair is the biggest suit of armor I've ever seen. It's positioned so that it looks like it's actually sitting there, a huge flail draped across its lap. Weird. Why would someone go to the effort of posing a suit of armor down here?

"Then why'd we stop?"

"That armor is in the way. You need to do something about it before we can go through the door."

I scowl. "But we can walk around it!"

He laughs. "You need to do something about the armor, Link. Get to it." Dark sounds so damned _smug_. He knows something about this thing that I don't, doesn't he?

"Fine!" I snap, walking over to the chair and strapping my lantern to my belt. I knew something like this was coming, but moving a suit of armor? Even as big as it is, it can't be that heavy; I'll just give it a good shove and knock it to the floor.

Why is the armor warm? And do I hear something growling? Never mind; I don't care. I shove it.

Something yells, and the armor moves! I yelp and scramble away right as the armor stands up and lashes out at where I had been with that massive flail.

What is this thing? It starts walking slowly, methodically, towards me, readying the flail for another swing. I'm going to _die --_ no, I can't panic. If I panic, I'm dead. I nock an arrow and let it fly; it bounces harmlessly off the thing's armor. I dance around the room, trying to stay well away from it, and fire several more arrows at it. Even though I aim for what I hope are weak points, the gaps between the plates and the holes in the helmet, nothing seems to hit. One by one the arrows bounce off the armor without so much as leaving a mark and clatter to the floor.

Damn it, this isn't good. My only real weapon can't even scratch it! There has to be something I can hurt this thing with. I need to -- _Farore,_ it's right in front of me!

I dodge another swing of the flail, flinching at the loud _thwam_ of the spiked head slamming into the stone. Bow's no good. My knife isn't big enough to do anything to it. I don't have any other weapons! All I've got is a lantern and a few simple little spells, but how is magic going to help me get through this? It's not like a simple light spell or my little spark can do much to something wrapped head-to-toe in thick metal.

Wait. Metal. Spark. Metal conducts. That's it! It's a long shot, but if I can make this work, I might get out of this alive. Only... my spark has next to no range, so I'll have to be right next to it. If this works, though, I can turn that thing's armor against it. If this works...

When it approaches me this time, I don't run. I _want _to run; the logical part of my brain is screaming at me to run and never look back, but I don't. _Farore help me_, I just need to let it get close enough --

It swings. I cartwheel to the side, feeling the impact more than I hear it, and then I lunge. My feet scramble for traction on the battered floor and the _thwam_ is still ringing in my ears, but I'm almost there. I thrust my arms out as close to the thing as I dare get, and then I shove outward with everything I have and scream the word for spark.

Blue lightning arcs between my outstretched hands and then, with a loud _snap_ that leaves my hands numb and pinpoints of light dancing across my vision, it leaps for the mountain of metal. The thing shrieks in pain as the electricity dances down its body. I'm already running with what strength I've got left -- got to get away before it recovers. But the thing's hurting now; I didn't realize I could make my spark that strong!

Amazing what fighting for one's life can do for a person.

I whirl around when the shriek fades away. The thing falls over, hitting the floor with a thunderous clang. It doesn't move. Is... is it dead? I stare at it as the feeling returns to my hands, waiting for it to climb back to its feet and come after me again. But it doesn't.

"Impressive," I hear Dark say from somewhere behind me. "Exactly the quick-thinking I expect from Link." Something's not right; there's a strange edge to his voice that I've never heard before. It's unnerving. "You're almost there now."

"Come on, Dark; you said I just had to do something about the armor. Let's go." I'm tired now. It's good for me that it's dead, because after that spark, I don't have the strength left to do much of anything.

"No." He sounds... commanding? What's going on here? "You haven't earned the right to walk through that door yet."

I turn around. He stands in the center of the room, staring at me. He draws his sword and aims it at me.

"What are you _doing_? Put that away!" I snap. "This isn't funny, Dark!" He can't be serious, can he?

"There's one last guardian you must defeat before you can claim the Master Sword, Link." He moves --

-- I grab my bow and snap it up just in time to block his swing. By some miracle my bow stays intact; I shove up, but he shoves down. We're in a stalemate. I glare up at the sword -- at the flat of his sword. He isn't...?

My grip falters and he shoves hard; I shove back and barely stay on my feet. I have to do something, or he'll have me on my knees. Or my bow will break; it's flexing the wrong way under the pressure! So I do the first thing that comes to mind: I kick him hard. He staggers back; I move with him and kick again, sending his sword skittering across the stone floor. I chase after it and pick it up.

My bow's useless now, and I'm holding a weapon I don't know how to use, but he's unarmed and out of reach. And he's _laughing_, a loud, triumphant laugh, as if everything has just gone exactly the way he wants it to go.

"Stand down!" I thrust the sword towards him.

Dark grins. "You win, Link. I yield."

"What's going on here?" No, I'm not going to start shaking. I'm _not._

"You had to prove yourself worthy of the Master Sword, remember?"

"Why you?"

"Because I know exactly what to look for." He grins and heads toward the door. "You coming?"

I follow him. "You were swinging the flat of your sword at me..."

"The point of that was to see if you could fight back against me, not to see how badly I could hurt you." Dark opens the door and gestures inside. "There."

The room inside is almost entirely taken up by an enormous dais, in the very center of which is an ornate stone pedestal. A sword, ancient and weathered, rises from the pedestal. Ancient-looking or not, the blade is clearly magical; it glows with a soft, inviting blue light that illuminates the entire room. It's... peaceful in here, peaceful and timeless.

"That's... the Master Sword?" I breathe.

"Yeah, it is. Go ahead; draw it."

Draw it? It's stuck in a rock! "I can't!"

He shoves me onto the dais. "Yes, you can! It's your sword. This is why we're here, remember? Finish this. Claim what's yours."

"I can't! I'm not the hero!"

"Oh, really?" He narrows his eyes and shoves me again. "_Draw the sword._ Or are you a coward?"

I go rigid. I may be weak, and I may not know what's going on, but _I'm not a coward._ "Fine!" I stalk up to the sword and slowly wrap my hands around the hilt. Part of me expects to get struck down for daring to touch such a holy artifact, but instead the hilt hums faintly in my hand. I take a slow, deep breath and pull.

The blade slides effortlessly out of the stone. I hold it up in front of me. The hilt fits perfectly in my hand; the blade's neither too light or too heavy. How do I know that? And despite the obvious age and corrosion on the blade, there's still something regal and powerful about it. It's _beautiful._ I... I had my doubts before, but now I know. This is the blade of evil's bane.

The Hero's Blade. The Master Sword. The holy weapon that has saved Hyrule time and time again in the hands of the Chosen Hero... and now I'm holding it. Is this real? Am I really a hero?

I start to turn towards Dark to ask him that, but I never finish. With my motion the world starts spinning, and everything turns blue.

xXx

I see the Royal Museum trashed and ransacked. Everything has been damaged, displays torn open and walls knocked out. Every single weapon in the buildings, from the massive hammer marking the entrance to the last arrowhead, has been completely and utterly destroyed. Nothing else is so totally obliterated; all the other damage seems to be mere afterthoughts compared to the weapons.

The first floor is filled with the signs of a struggle. One of the second floor windows has been smashed out, as if something large jumped through it to get out of the museum. The air in that hallway is heavy with the smell of burning rubber.

"Where is it?" a voice screams. "Where is it?"

Darkness in the shape of a man runs through the museum, frantically glancing from one broken weapon to the next. "Find it! It must be destroyed! She must have it... Find her! _Find her_!"

xXx

When I open my eyes, I see stars. I sit up with a start. I'm outside the Great Palace, in my bedroll. Dark sits nearby, bent over something on my portable stove. He's cooking?

"How did we get out here?" I ask.

He turns to me and then grins nervously. "I was wondering if you were going to wake up. We were teleported out here after you drew the sword. That was hours ago. You've been sleeping like you were dead or something." He turns his attention back to whatever he's doing. "You had me worried that I was losing you."

"Sorry I made you worry." I am. I don't know why -- he's already proven himself to be a creepy stalker, and yet, I don't want to make him worry. "What happened?"

"Well, what do you remember?"

"I drew the sword, and then I think I passed out. I saw the museum, but everything was torn up and all the weapons were broken."

Dark makes a soft noise deep in his throat. "Have you ever had prophetic dreams, Link?"

"No. I've had a couple of visions of what I guess are past lives," I can't believe I'm admitting to this. "But nothing prophetic."

"You sure?" He sounds skeptical.

"Yes! Well... I dreamed of the museum before I found out I had been accepted as a Royal Historian. And all the details were right, too. Everyone on the team was there, and I even saw my little office with its cracked window." I'd almost forgotten about that, but then again I tried to. Historians are supposed to work with facts, not things like intuition and dreams!

He just nods knowingly. "Not surprised. I think it has something to do with being the Hero. You see things no one else can. And don't ask me what that dream means, because I'm not sure. Hopefully we'll piece it together before it happens."

I start to stand up, and something falls out of my lap. It's the Master Sword, only now it's in an ancient and ornate sheath! "What's this?"

"Your sword."

"Have you looked at this thing? It looks like it's going to break if I drop it."

"It's sleeping." He glances over at me. "Think about it; if you just saw that sword as it is, would you think it's anything special?"

It's clearly a fine weapon, but 'special' meaning 'holy blade of evil's bane'? "No. I guess that's the point, isn't it?"

"Hungry? I'm making some soup."

"You know how to cook?"

He glares over his shoulder at me. "Are you saying I can't? I can take care of myself."

I decide not to continue with that. "So, what do we do now? Go home? I'm not sure I can just go back to life as usual after this. I mean..." I walk over and sit next to Dark, carrying the Master Sword with me. "I've found exactly the proof Chambers needs to prove his point... and I can't tell anyone about it."

"Would you want to draw attention to the Master Sword?"

"Well, no, but... I can't even tell him about the Palace..." I shake my head. "Then again, I'd have to explain so much else that I don't know if it's really worth it." Things like Dark. "What if I need to wake up the Master Sword?"

He shrugs. "Don't know. Pretty sure that if you really need it for whatever reason, it'll wake up." And then he says something in older Hylian about sleeping heroes and sleeping swords.

My head is reeling _enough_ without him playing with his words. "Can you please stick with one form of Hylian?"

Dark looks at me and grins. "If you don't like it, why'd you answer me in it?"

"I did?"

"You're still speaking it." He leans in and then, in an even _older _form of Hylian, says something about time.

"What about my time?" Wait, how am I understanding any of this? "Will you _stop that_?"

He laughs. "You can understand pieces of that, too? This is fun... It's like our own private language."

I'm not even sure which form I'm speaking now. "Unless I start doing this to someone else! What if I slip like this talking to Chambers?"

"You're matching me, Link. As I change, you change to match. So unless Chambers knows something besides your world's Hylian, you should be fine." He leans in closer and kisses the tip of my nose.

"Did you ever do this to any of the other Links, or am I just special that way?"

"I would sometimes, when I didn't want anyone to hear us. It's easier to make you shift." He seems to like the sound of that. "Maybe it's because you're so focused on the past that it makes reaching back easier for you?"

This is making my head hurt! I'm changing the subject now to something a little less bizarre. "Maybe... I don't know. Where are you going when we get back to Northcastle?" I flinch, because I actually notice as I switch from older Hylian to modern; it's jarring.

"Don't know yet. Why? Want some company?" He winks.

"I don't know about that, but..." It's weird, but I don't want him to leave. Everything about him confuses me, and he's good at being creepy, but... I want him around. I want to be able to talk to him. "How would we explain you?"

He shrugs again. "I could be your brother or cousin or something. Besides, haven't you and Mikau been looking for another roommate? You know you get along with me." He's still speaking older Hylian; Mikau's name stands out.

"I don't know if I could live with you." I switch back to the older, although I'm not sure _why_.

"You could. You've done it before." Dark glances towards the stove. "Ah, I think it's done!"

After eating -- Dark really can cook -- I wander back over to the Great Palace and lean against one of the broken columns. I don't know why, but this is comforting. Something old, something that's survived at least partially intact, something _stable._ Things got weird enough when I first met Dark, but even then I was able to go on with normal life without much of a problem. But now... now I'm caring for the single greatest artifact in Hylian history, and apparently I _am_ a hero. Or at least, I have the potential to be one. That doesn't even count the other things, like the feeling deep in my gut that something very bad is going to happen at the museum or the complete and total confusion towards everything between Dark and me.

I sigh. Nothing makes sense anymore. How did this happen? I'm just supposed to be a historian. I _study_ history. I'm not supposed to live it and make it!

And then there's the Master Sword. In my visions, it's this gleaming, clearly-magical blade, a far cry from the time-worn sword in my hands. This doesn't make any sense. How can the blade of evil's bane _corrode_? I brush a few loose pieces of the accumulated filth off the hilt with my hand. Maybe I can clean it... Yeah, I can. I can carry it into work and use our tools to clean it up, and it'll look like I'm just working on another weapon to anyone who sees me. We clean swords sometimes; it's part of Chambers' goal to find proof of the hero. He's trying to find the Hero's Blade.

I look down at the sword in my hands. Dare I tell him? No, he won't believe me, and if he does, he'll want to take it and put it on display. I tighten my grip. No, the Master Sword is my sword. I have to be the one who guards it.

Farore help me; I think I'm going crazy.

"There you are," Dark says softly in my ear. How does he manage to get so close without me seeing or hearing him? "What are you doing?"

"Thinking."

He nuzzles my cheek. "Are you lonely?"

I don't answer. I am. I've never felt so lonely in my life; I know one of the greatest secrets in Hyrule, but no one can ever know. I can't talk to _anyone_ about this... any of this. I'm so confused. What do I do now?

"You don't have to be. I'm here." He leans in close, pressing himself against me.

I should push him away because he's... no, I can't. I need this. I need to know I'm not alone, that I'm not crazy. I lean against him and close my eyes.

Everything's changing now.

Dark's humming a song I don't recognize, although some tiny part of me swears it's heard the song before.

"What's that?" I ask.

"The Nocturne of Shadow," he says, sounding pleased, and then he starts humming it again. The song is a bit creepy, but somehow, it's comforting, too.

Finally, the song ends, the last note fading away into the night. "So," Dark says, "how are you going to spend the rest of your vacation?"

"Huh?"

"It's been three days. Tomorrow makes four. You're supposed to be gone how many? Eight? Nine? What are you going to do with those other days?"

I... don't know. "I guess I'll just camp out somewhere and get some sleep."

"Where do you want to camp, then? I'm guessing not here. There's a plan; tomorrow we'll head back toward Waypoint and find a nice place to set up camp."

_We_? He just invites himself along? Then again, I don't want to be alone. "Okay."

He laughs. "No arguments?"

"I'm tired."

Dark wraps his arms around me and starts walking, pulling me with him like he did back in my apartment. "No one is forcing you to stay awake."

I sigh. "I can't sleep."

"I can make you sleep," he says, sounding pleased.

"No, you can't." My mind's too crazy right now, a thousand unanswered questions screaming in my head, for me to even consider falling asleep.

"Is that a challenge, Link?"

Is everything a challenge to him? I shift against him and open my eyes; we're almost back to camp now. "Only if it must be." I pull away from him and walk over to my bedroll.

He laughs. "I think it is."

I shake my head, take my boots off, and lay down. "Good night, Dark."

He lays down beside me and wraps an arm around my waist. "Night, Link." And then he starts humming the Nocturne of Shadow again.

Whether it's just having him so close or the song or some combination of both I don't know, but my thoughts start calming down. This... this is ancient; this is familiar. I hold the Master Sword to my chest, feeling the gentle hum through my shirt. This is stable. This is... _right_?

Yes, this is the way things are supposed to be. Him and me and this sword...

Something very bad is going to happen soon. I know this, somehow. I don't know what or who, but I know it's going to happen. I'm not afraid. I have the Master Sword. Time-worn or not, it's still a holy blade.

I just hope I can fight when the time comes, because Master Sword or not, I still don't _really_ believe I'm a hero, not this time. Maybe I've been one before, but that was someone else, right?

I'm humming a song only part of me knows. Why? It isn't the Nocturne of Shadow, but there's power in the notes, a strange echoing resonance that seems to fill every part of my being with its sound.

Dark laughs softly; I feel it more than I hear it. "I haven't heard that song in a long time." That isn't modern Hylian; it's too old. Whatever it is, it feels right for the song... maybe both are from the same time?

I'm about to fall asleep; this song is soothing. I stop humming long enough to murmur, "What's it called?"

He doesn't answer, and I think he can't hear me. But then, right before I fall asleep, I hear his answer.

"The Song of Time."


	4. Royal History Project

_Author's notes: Yay for long chapters, or something like that. This story seems to be shifting towards longer ones, amusingly enough._

**

* * *

Royal History Project**

"Aren't you supposed to still be on vacation? Why are we here?"

I sigh and swipe my keybadge through the reader before opening the door. "_We_ don't have to be here, just me. I want to get one of my sketchbooks." And not the one I've been using for my research here, either. I'm after one from when I was back at Eldin College, working with Professor Sahasrahla. "There's something I'd like you to translate."

Dark follows me into the building, staying close. "Oh? I thought I was your creepy stalker, yet now you're asking me to be your window into the past?" He sounds amused.

"You've already been doing that," I reply, glancing down the hallway and turning on my flashlight. "Besides, since I know you're going to follow me around anyway, I may as well make the most of it."

He laughs. "Sounds good. Only... why are you being so sneaky? Don't you work here?"

"It's after eleven, Dark; the museum has been closed since eight, and this time of night there's a few guards and no one else. And even if there is still someone here, I don't really want to have to explain this."

"Oh?"

I shake my head. This is crazy. I'm in the museum during my vacation to find a sketchbook I haven't touched in over a year so my shadow can translate the text in an old sketch I made in the Kakariko Graveyard. And if anyone sees me here, I'm going to have to try to come up with an excuse. Fast.

"Dark, are you visible?"

He leans in close. "To you. Why?"

"Good." I can't believe I _want_ him to be invisible to the rest of the world. "That way if we do meet someone, I won't get in trouble for letting you slip back here. Restricted access, remember? That's why I needed my badge."

"I have my own, so I'm good." He grins, waving something small and plastic at me. It's a perfect copy of my keybadge, only with his name and his picture on it. He has a keybadge?

"How?"

"The same way I have an Epona, obviously."

I wait for him to elaborate, but he doesn't. Instead, Dark winks at me and starts walking down the hall again.

I scowl. "That's all you're going to say?"

"That's why I stopped talking, yes. Besides, unless you want to spend all night here, you might want to get moving. One minute you're all 'I don't want to explain this' and the next you're standing in a hallway demanding answers." He looks back at me and smirks. "You do remember that if anyone sees you, you'll look like you're talking to yourself, don't you? No one can see me; no one can hear me."

"And you have to ask why I'm trying to be stealthy?" is all I can say. I shake my head and open the door to my office. There's a small, neatly paper-clipped stack of paper on my desk that wasn't there when I left -- _great; _someone left me something. I hope it isn't time-sensitive.

"Sketchbook," Dark says, still smirking.

I wave a hand absently towards the bookcase. "Brown, spiral-bound, has the Eldin College crest on it. It should be labeled "Masters K1". I need to see what this is."

He laughs and walks over to the bookcase. "Just remember you've got three more days of vacation left, Link. Because I've got plans."

I don't answer; I flip through the stack of paper. It's a bunch of sketches of what looks like a sealed vase, with the sketches focusing on the various carvings inscribed on its surface. I'll have to take a better look at these later.

The top sheet of paper is a note. "_I thought you might be interested in this. Chambers claims it's connected to the Hero's Blade, but personally I think it's something different -- not that he's going to listen to me. You know how he gets. There's an aura of strong, dark magic about it. I'm not sure I like this thing at all. I'd like to know what you think about it. _

"_Almost forgot; you won't believe where this thing's been. The castle treasury. Only there's no record of what it is or how long it's been there -- although when you factor in that the records there date back to just over a thousand years ago... this thing is _ancient. _Well, talk to you whenever you get back. --Vael"_

"Who's Vael?" Dark says in my ear; he's reading over my shoulder.

"You mean my stalker doesn't know one of my friends? I'm shocked," I say flatly.

"Well, enlighten me."

I lean against the desk. "Vael's one of the other guys on the Royal History Project." And a good friend, I add to myself. "He focuses more on magical artifacts, but as I'm sure you can tell, he's interested in finding the Hero's Blade, too. Personally, I'm kinda interested in his work."

"Because you're looking for the hero," he whispers, leaning in closer.

I swallow hard. "Yeah, and the hero would need some strong magical assistance to do what he did, so I thought..."

"You thought right. Link and I have used all kinds of magical things over the centuries." He laughs softly. "And here I thought you were focusing on your Hero's Blade?"

"N-no, that's Chambers. He's trying to find the sword for proof the hero existed. I'm a bit more open in what I'm looking for -- what are you doing?"

Dark has his head on my shoulder and his arms around my waist, holding a book -- my sketchbook? -- against my stomach. "What does it look like?" he says softly. "I'm holding you."

"Why?"

"Why not? You look like you need it."

I scowl and open the stack to one of the sketches, holding it up so he can see it. "Ever see this before?"

"Can't say that I have."

"So Vael's right; this has nothing to do with the Master Sword."

Dark sets my sketchbook on the desk and takes the stack from me, slowly flipping through it. "I'm not seeing how Chambers thinks this has anything to do with the Master Sword. It's... It's evil."

"How do you know?"

"It just has that look to it."

I shake my head. "That's so very helpful."

"Well, what do you expect? I can't really sense magic, so I use other ways to figure out what I should and shouldn't mess with." He picks up my sketchbook and puts the stack on top of it. "C'mon, let's go. This vase thing can wait until your vacation is over. Until then, you and I are going to do stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

Dark just looks at me and grins. "Fun stuff."

I decide I'd rather not ask.

xXx

The sound of the front door closing wakes me up. There's not much light coming through the curtains; what time is it? I reach over and fumble on the nightstand for my pocketwatch, finally finding the thing and flipping it open.

Just after noon. Then that was probably Mikau running off to do whatever it is he's doing today. I set my watch back on the nightstand and close my eyes.

The bedroom door opens. "I like your roommate," Dark says.

"You were talking to Mikau?" I mumble. Is that really a good idea? Mikau doesn't even know him. "How'd you explain what you were doing?"

"No, I wasn't talking to him. I was just watching him. He's entertaining when he's half-asleep."

I groan and bury my face in the pillow. "So now you're stalking my roommate, too?"

"I was actually looking for something to eat, but hey, if he's going to entertain me, who am I to ignore him?" He sits on the bed. "He ran out of here in a hurry, though."

That's why the door woke me up; Mikau must've slammed it in his rush. Great. I would rather be asleep, really, because if I was asleep, I wouldn't have to feel Dark staring at me. Which he _is_.

I can't sleep like this. "Do you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Stare at me. It's unnerving. It doesn't even feel like you're looking at _me_, so stop."

He snorts. "Stupid. Who else would I be looking at?"

I sigh and put my pillow over my head. "Just... find something to do, please?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know... just..." I'm awake enough I can't go back to sleep, but I'm still asleep enough I can't think straight. And he expects me to answer? If he knows me half as well as he acts like he does, shouldn't he know how I am when I first wake up?

Dark laughs and flops onto the bed beside me. "I'd translate that stuff for you, but I figure you'd want to be awake so you can ask a bunch of questions."

"Go watch TV or something."

"Fine, fine. I get it. You just don't want me around." He stands up. "I can take a hint. I'll be in the common room if you need me." And he's gone.

I try to go back to sleep, but I can't. I'm fairly certain he meant that as a joke, but... what if I did offend him? Why am I worrying about this? He's been stalking me for -- no, I'm not going to think about that now.

Finally, I give up. There's no way I can sleep until I know that I didn't make him mad. I don't even know why I care, but I do, so I climb out of bed and wander into the living room. Dark's sitting on the floor, leaning against the old, faded couch, focusing on something in his lap that I can't see.

"Dark?"

He doesn't look up. "Yeah?"

Are you mad at me? I want to ask, but I can't get the words out. So I settle for "What are you doing?"

"Cleaning my shield."

"The one you mentioned at the Great Palace?" I walk around the couch. It's an incredible shield -- a giant, gleaming mirror set in deep red tinted metal. The mirror is inlaid with several symbols I don't recognize, and the light that flashes off its highly polished surface seems brighter than the light in the room. It's a large shield, larger than the ones I see the guards carrying. And it _has_ to be magical -- there's no way a _mirror _could be used as a shield unless it was heavily enchanted, because a normal mirror would shatter the first time the shield was used to block a blow.

"Yeah," he says softly. "It's called the Mirror Shield." He rubs one edge of the mirror gently with a soft cloth, but the shield doesn't need cleaning; it's so polished it practically _glows._ "It used to belong to Link, but I guess it's mine now."

I sit next to him. "It was his...?"

Dark nods. "Way back when Ganon was Ganondorf. Link carried this for the rest of his life; it was even buried with him. And yet..." his voice is reverent, as if he's afraid to speak too loud. "When I woke up in the temple, this was with the rest of my gear. I've always taken that as a sign that I'm supposed to carry it." He smiles, but it's tinged with sadness. "It's my way to remember him."

He looks at me, and his eyes have a very strange look to them, as if he's staring at me through time itself. "You don't remember that, do you?" He shifts position, holding the shield ever-so-slightly towards me.

I take a deep breath and reach out. I'm half afraid to touch something so important to him. This thing is an artifact, a mighty creation of long-forgotten magic that once protected the Chosen Hero... My fingers brush against the metal and then the mirror itself, the glass humming faintly with ancient power beneath my fingertips --

-- "_With my flame, I will burn him to the bone!"_ --

I snatch my hand away as if burned; it doesn't keep the witch's cackle from echoing in my head. What... What was that? My head hurts, and it's like there's someone else in my head, thinking along with me, and...

"Link? Link, are you all right?"

"I... I am fine, merely... confused," I hear myself say, but that's not me talking.

He smiles before reaching over and taking my hand. "It's all right."

No, it's not! Someone else is talking through me! I try to talk, but I can't say anything. I can't _do_ anything -- it's like I don't have any control over my own body anymore!

"This is not my place, Dark," my voice says. This... _Farore_, this is the Link who carried the Mirror Shield! But, how is he in my head? Why is this happening?

_I am sorry; I had no right to intrude,_ a voice that isn't mine anymore echoes in my head. _I do not mean to cause any trouble. _The strange feeling of being disconnected from myself fades.

"It... It's okay," I reply, now that I can. My head still hurts, and I swear I still hear that witch laughing faintly in some long-lost memory, but I think I'm me again.

"Link? You back?" Dark asks.

I have to laugh at how bizarre that sounds. "If I'm always Link, how are you supposed to tell us apart?"

He grins. "The way you talk. The way you act. Lots of little ways."

"That was the Link who owned this shield, wasn't it?"

He looks down at our reflections in the mirror. "Yes."

I follow his gaze down, and for a second, I don't see myself. I see a blond haired man dressed in what looks like a knight's uniform, leaning against Dark's shoulder as if ready to fall asleep. The image quickly fades, shifting into my reflection. I look so lost, I think, lost and confused.

"Sorry," Dark says. "I didn't think that was going to happen. I guess I should've figured it out -- you always react weirdly to things from earlier times. Apparently some things just trigger memories from your prior lives, and if it's strong enough, for a little while, one of your prior selves comes out." He actually sounds apologetic. I never thought I'd hear him like this.

I reach over and put my hand on the shield again, but this time all I feel is the soft, steady hum of the magic inside it. "Is this going to happen a lot?"

"It never has before. I'll just have to be careful with you and my gear, since you may need to use some of it."

That means... "You've got stuff from the other Links."

He nods. "I've got something from each and every one I've met. It's my way of remembering each of you. I wonder... Before, some of your lives seemed easier to trigger than others, almost like you were more like those than others. Does that still hold true?"

I'm not even sure that makes sense. "I guess we'll find out."

Dark just laughs before picking my sketchbook up off the couch -- when did he bring that out here? "You wanted me to translate something for you?"

"Yeah, it's..." I take the book and flip through it, past my sketches of a ruined tomb that I helped document back in Kakariko, until I find the one I'm looking for. It's a sketch of what looks like a door, only there's no visible way to open it. And carved on the 'door' is what appears to be a block of text. At least, I think it's writing.

"This." I hold the book out.

Dark takes it and gives it a weird look. "Can't help you much; this is some weird writing."

"Like weathered away?"

"Kinda. That, and it's an odd script, and I'm not even sure all of it is in Hylian. 'Here lies the greatest traitor Hyrule has ever had the misfortune of creating. May he be forgotten.' There's more, but that's all I can make out. Where'd you find this?"

I take a deep breath. "A really old grave in the ruined part of Kakariko Graveyard. There're two parts -- the current graveyard and an older one that was buried under a landslide. We've only started investigating it in the last few years, and even so, we're limited to the small part that's on the edge of the rubble. Most of the old graveyard is under a good thirty feet of rock."

He looks thoughtful at that. "Interesting. Any particular reason you wanted me to read that?"

"I've just always thought it seemed important." I laugh, but it's bitter. "Professor Sahasrahla was the only one who didn't think it was just a memorial message; he agreed with me that it seemed more than just something like that. I've had this feeling that this message is important ever since I first saw it. I don't know; maybe I'm just being silly. But that's what I feel."

"Maybe it is. I'm not sure whose grave it is, but that doesn't mean anything. It's not like I ever really spent much time around people's graves anyway."

"Really? I would've thought you'd have plenty of reasons to hang around people's graves." Damn, that's cold -- I realize it the instant the words leave my mouth. Good move, Link, I think, mentally kicking myself. Remind him of how many times he's seen his friend die.

"Never had the chance," he says softly. "Most of the time I was asleep before he was buried."

I take a slow, deep breath, completely unsure what to say.

"Not like there's anything there, anyway. Bunch of bones and other worthless things." Dark closes his eyes and sighs.

_Damn_, I feel terrible now. "Dark, I --"

He moves _fast_, clamping a hand over my mouth before I can finish. "Stop apologizing for things that aren't your fault, you damned idiot. I get tired of hearing it." He leans in close. "You don't have to take the blame for everything, and I'm not going to _let_ you. Understand?"

I nod, even though I'm not sure what he's talking about.

"Good." He lets me go.

"How did you know what I was going to say?"

Dark shakes his head. "After all the time I've spent around you -- both in prior lives _and_ this one -- and you don't think I can tell when you're trying to apologize? You underestimate me."

"I don't know you, Dark -- how can I estimate anything?" I clear my throat, glancing down at the shield to make sure my reflection is still mine.

He says something I can't make out before glancing over at me. "So, what are we doing today? And if you mention any of your notes, I'm going to hit you."

I lean back against the couch. "I don't know."

"What do you usually do on your days off?"

I shrug. "Sleep. Ride out to Parapa Desert sometimes."

"Wow. You're boring."

"Okay, then, since you're so much more interesting than I am, what do you want to do?"

Dark snickers and puts his head on my shoulder. "I think this'll do."

"And you think I'm boring?"

He starts humming again.

I scowl. "Are you _trying_ to make me lose my mind? Because you're doing a pretty damned good job so far."

And he just keeps humming.

Finally I sigh and stand up, heading back into my room. The Master Sword is laid out on my desk, its sheath beside it. The vibrations from the ride back from the Great Palace should've shaken some of the dirt off, but it didn't. The blade is just as weathered and dirty as it was when I found it.

There has to be a way to clean this thing.

I pick up the dull knife I keep on my desk and try scraping some of the rust off the blade. No good; I scrape, but it's not even flaking. What's going on here? I apply more pressure, trying to get just a little bit to flake off, but it's not. This... what is this?

It's almost like the Master Sword doesn't _want_ to be cleaned. Maybe... hmm. Dark did say it's sleeping; maybe this is part of it? While it sleeps, it looks ancient, and when it wakes up, it casts off the signs of age?

I shake my head. Master Sword or no, a sword is exactly that: a sword. It doesn't have a mind of its own. I think I'm going crazy.

That's it; I'm going to just let this thing sit on my desk for the foreseeable future. I don't have to figure this out, even if part of me wants to know everything about this. I don't _have _to clean this thing off. It can stay like this.

I flop onto my bed. I'm still tired, and being possessed doesn't help. Whatever this is, I'll face it once I get some more sleep. I'm still exhausted from the Great Palace. That's it; I'm imagining things. I have to be.

Because I don't know if I want this to really be happening.

xXx

"So, the mighty hero has returned safely, I see!"

I close my eyes and resist the urge to groan. I just walked in here! "Morning, Professor Chambers."

Chambers chuckles from the door to my office. "I'm surprised to see you here so early this morning. I thought you'd sleep in a bit."

"I'm fine." No, I'm not fine; things are still too confusing. Being here, being at work, being able to focus on things that _don't_ in turn focus on me and Dark and my supposed destiny and the fact that I've got the _blade of evil's bane _sitting on my desk at home is the only way I can think of to try to cope with all of this. It's just too much. And Dark's already annoying habit of rapid-fire revelations and the feeling he's trying to draw something -- no, _someone_ -- out of me isn't helping at all.

He nods, his green eyes twinkling under his bushy eyebrows. "Well, if you're up to it, I can't stop you. Oh, yes, have you heard about the specimen we got in last week?"

The sealed vase? "Ah, I believe I did; Vael left me some information."

"Good, good." Chambers seems to like that answer. "We're having a meeting about it this afternoon. I trust you can make it?"

"Yes, I can."

He nods. "Then I shall see you this afternoon." And he heads down the hall.

I close my office door and lean against it. A meeting... this afternoon. About some sealed vase I looked at for maybe two minutes. That's the one thing that annoys me about Chambers; he loves springing meetings on us with next to no notice.

Where'd I put that set of sketches Vael left for me...? Let me think. They were sitting on my desk when Dark and I came in for my sketchbook, and then I picked them up, and then Dark had them, and then...

Oh,_ no._ We took them with us. I check my bag, but no good -- it's not there. It must be at the apartment, on my desk with everything else. Damn it! I need to go over that by this afternoon!

"A meeting specifically for a vase. Well, I've seen meetings called for less."

I turn towards the voice. Dark sits at my desk, leaning back in my chair, leisurely flipping through the stack of sketches. I breathe a sigh of relief -- I have time to look them over now!

He looks up at me. "What's this meeting for?"

I toss my bag next to my desk and grab my other chair. I knew there's a reason I've been keeping this old thing around. "We're all going to share our opinions of this vase."

"It's evil."

"You already said that."

He shifts in the chair and holds up the page that's currently on top. "It bears repeating."

The sketch is apparently of the front of the vase, detailing the carving on its front. There's an ornate sword carved at the bottom, point down as if stuck in the ground. Near the top, where the vase flares out, there's the carving of a single large, slit-pupiled eye that looks like it's staring right at me. Maybe even _through _me.

I shiver. "It's just creepy looking, Dark. Creepy isn't necessarily evil."

He gives me an odd look, like he thinks I'm missing something painfully obvious, and then he tosses me the stack. "All right, then, look these over and tell me what you think about this."

I flip through the sketches. Oddly enough, the creepy eye is only on the one side; the other side has what appears to be a pair of bat wings carved on it. The wings appear to be coming from the sides of the eye. The sword-stuck-in-the-ground motif continues around the base of the vase, three in all, and the black, waxy seal has a fourth sword stamped in it. All four swords appear to be the same ornate blade. A magical sword, maybe? It isn't the Master Sword -- the shape of the blade isn't right for that.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I'm not sure how I know this, but there's something very _not right _about this thing. I take a slow breath and decide to focus on the one detail that doesn't worry me -- a circle of what appears to be ancient writing around the sealed mouth of the vase.

"Can you read this?" I ask.

Dark just shakes his head. "That's not anything I've ever seen. What do you think about your vase?"

I swallow hard. "I think you may have a point, but... it's just a vase. How bad can it be?"

"You might be amazed," is all he says.

A knock on the door cuts the conversation off. I glance over at Dark, who just waves towards the door, before calling out, "Who is it?"

"It's Vael; do you have a moment?"

"Yeah, I do. What do you need?"

The door opens, and Vael walks in, dressed in his usual long jacket. "I just wanted to make sure you found those sketches I left for you."

I grin. "Yeah, I did. Thanks. You mentioned something about magic?"

He nods and then brushes some of his long purple hair out of his gray eyes. "I did the sketches in the artifact preservation room. The vase isn't there now; Chambers probably has it locked away somewhere safe. But at the time, I was able to walk up to it and give it a good once-over. It reeks of dark magic. Personally, I think this is something that is best left alone, but Chambers doesn't think it's a concern." Vael scowls.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Vael, I don't like the looks of it either. I don't think we should be messing with it."

He nods again. "If I had a choice, I'd lock it back in a dark corner of the treasury. But Chambers thinks it's connected to the Hero's Blade, so for now, we're in charge of it."

"Because of the swords on it?" I ask. That has to be it, and in a way, it makes sense -- a sword as ornate as the one carved onto the vase is either purely decorative or highly enchanted. But... what if the vase is holding something evil?

...I wish I had the Master Sword with me. If I could get the Sword and the vase together, I could find out for certain if there was evil involved. But... I'm not quite sure how I could check, and even if I did, how am I supposed to get a sword in _here_, let alone the artifact storage room?

"That's my guess," Vael replies. "I don't know. You'd have to ask him."

I sigh. "If I can remember, I might at the meeting this afternoon."

Dark stands up and wraps his arms around my shoulders. I try my best not to react. "I can help you remember," he whispers in my ear. "Or, if you'd like, I can do a little... investigating..."

Vael gives me an odd look. "Link, are you all right?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

He nods, and then he smiles, but it's a bit forced. "Well, I suppose I should get out of your way. See you at the meeting later."

"All right. See you then." I wait until Vael closes the door behind him before sighing and turning to glare at Dark. "Did you have to do that with him in the room?"

"What? He can't see me."

"Yeah, but he can see me, and it's a bit difficult not to react when someone drapes himself over me like that."

Dark snickers and tightens his grip. "The offer still stands."

I shake my head. "Not now. Chambers has his reasons; that's all that really matters. Even if I knew why he's got that vase, and why we're apparently including it in our work, that doesn't change the fact that there's just something wrong about that thing."

"So what are you going to do about it, Hero?"

"Don't call me that!" I turn so I can glare at him. "And I'm not going to do anything about it. I'm just going to keep going about my business as usual. If Chambers wants me to do something in connection to his vase, I will, but otherwise, I'm not worrying about it. I've got too many other things to worry about right now."

"Like...?"

"Like you."

"You don't have to worry about me, Link. I'm not going to hurt you."

I sigh. "That's not really what I mean, Dark. This is all just... confusing. And you grabbing me while I'm talking to someone who can't see you is annoying; don't do that."

"You just don't want me to have any fun," he says softly, leaning in and nipping at my ear.

"What are you doing?"

"What, don't you like it?"

To be honest, I do. And that's the problem. "I have work to do, Dark. There's a meeting this afternoon, remember?"

He laughs. "So? I thought you were going to figure out a way to clean the Master Sword."

"I want to look up what I've got on the sword first... maybe I've got some important bit of information stored somewhere that I just haven't been able to read. You could translate it for me."

"You're just taking advantage of me," he says, sniffling. "I'm nothing more than your slave."

I stare at the opposite wall. "Which is why you drape yourself over me every chance you get."

"I need you."

"Huh?" I turn and give him an odd look. What is he talking about?

Dark is looking at nothing in particular. "I need you. You need me. That's how it always is. One of us can't exist without the other."

"How can you be so calm about that? You're telling me that I'm not my own person!"

"Yes, you are. But you're also my source, Link. Without you, there is no me. And if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be you." He sounds oddly contemplative, and I can't help but wonder if he's talking to me, or if he's saying this to his ghost.

Although the more I think about it, the more I think that, somehow, _I'm _his ghost. I shake my head. This is all too crazy; immortality, reincarnation, a sacred blade, a great evil... this all sounds like one of the legends I study. Speaking of studying, I need to look over those sketches again before the meeting, because Chambers may just ask me my opinion.

I pick up the stack of sketches, trying not to focus on Dark, who is now leaning against me with his head on my right shoulder. I don't want to be involved with this vase. I don't want to be in this office. I'm not even sure if I want Dark here. I just want to go curl up somewhere and be alone for a while, so I can try to make this all make sense.

Dark nuzzles my cheek. "Don't worry about that now. We'll decide what to do about it once we hear what your boss plans to do with it."

He's got a point. Maybe Chambers has something in mind, something I can use as a starting point.

"Then what should I do?"

"Quit acting like you have to have all the answers at once, you stubborn idiot. We'll figure this out eventually. All you're doing is getting yourself working up." He grins. "Everything works out in the end, Link. Remember that."

Everything works out, huh? "Maybe you're right."

"I know I'm right."

xXx

The very first thing I notice when I walk into the conference room is how thick and heavy the air seems, pressing down on me like a massive weight. I've got that feeling again, that something very bad is going to happen. The second thing I notice is the vase -- that unblinking stone eye is even creepier in real life than it ever was in that sketch. I can't hold back a shudder at the sight of it. I don't even want to walk any further into the room; I just want to get as far from the thing as I can. That's not going to happen, however, because the vase is sitting on the center of the table.

I glance around the room, trying to find somewhere I can at least get away from the vase. Ralph, Chambers' assistant, is busily arranging chairs for the meeting. Professor Garrimed, a tall, broad monster of a man, sits at one end of the table with his chair pushed back most of the way to the wall. Garrimed is a military historian and weapons expert, and he looks like a man who can handle himself in a fight -- and he can. So the sight of him sitting as far as he can from the vase is... well, at least I know I'm not just imagining the chill that runs down my spine every time I look at that stupid vase.

He's got a good idea, so I grab a chair and pull it up beside him before sitting down.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Masters," he says softly, his tone friendly but guarded. "Shouldn't you be off reading another of your fairy tales?"

I _hmph_ and lean back in my chair. He's teasing; I know he is. "I needed a little fresh air. And what about you? Did you smoke yourself out of your smithery or something?"

He smiles weakly. "I figured that I could get a good look at this specimen if I arrived early. Now, I find myself wishing I hadn't bothered. It's just a stupid vase." His voice betrays him; the vase has him on edge.

It has me on edge, too. "It has swords engraved on it."

"No," Garrimed glances at me and smirks. "It has one sword on it four times."

"Are you sure it's the same sword? That might just be a particular design, you know."

He nods. "True, but it is either the same sword repeated or four swords designed to be identical." He looks at something near the door, behind me. "Ah, Ziota, I must commend you on your sketches. They are particularly well done."

Vael pauses in the doorway for a moment, looking oddly nervous, even considering the vase. He looks pale, even for him. "Ah, well," he forces a smile. "Thank you, Professor. I did my best." He pulls a chair up next to me and sits down. Between the three of us, we've claimed the entire end of the table. "I'm glad I got here early. There's still room over here."

"What's the matter, Ziota? Afraid of a vase? You weren't too afraid to spend several hours here sketching it the other night."

Vael narrows his eyes and grabs the collar of his shirt -- he's actually grabbing the necklace he always wears under his shirt, I know, but it looks like he's grabbing his shirt collar. "Well, I didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. I don't understand this thing. There's some kind of very strange magic about it. And what of you? You aren't exactly holding it in your lap, Garrimed."

Garrimed doesn't answer. He doesn't need to -- it's perfectly clear why he's sitting over here.

One by one, the rest of the Royal History Project's members walk into the room and take their seats. None of them seem to be at all fazed by the vase -- they're just sitting there and talking and getting out their notebooks like they do at every meeting.

"Weird," I say softly. "I think the three of us are the only ones who don't like the vase."

"Link's always been good at sensing magic," Dark whispers in my ear. I should've known he'd follow me in here. But is that it? Am I sensing magic, or is it something else? I know Vael can sense magic, but can Garrimed? Can I? Maybe I can -- the Master Sword always seems to hum, and my fingers tingle every time I touch the Mirror Shield.

But if this vase is magical, if it's languished forgotten in the depths of the castle treasury for over a thousand years... what exactly _is _this thing?

Dark nudges my shoulder. "You're going to miss your meeting if you don't snap out of it."

I'm already missing part of it -- Chambers is talking about how the treasury's keepers found the vase during an inventory five years ago, and how he first saw it nearly three years ago in a listing and finally received royal permission to bring it here as part of the Project. Basically, it's a lot of talk about what's been happening with regard to the vase for the last five years, but nothing about what happened before that or what this thing is besides a sealed vase.

Some of the others are taking notes. I don't see the point, really. There's nothing in his long speech that will help us figure out what the vase's significance, if any, is. Beside me, Garrimed looks bored, while Vael scrawls something in his notebook. Vael's handwriting is so messy it doesn't even look like he's writing in Hylian. Glad _he_ can read that. Not that my handwriting is really much better when I'm writing fast, but at least mine doesn't look like some other language.

Dark pokes my cheek. "Is Chambers always this long-winded? What is it with knowledgeable older men and loving to talk? Do they just like the sounds of their voices that much?"

I glance at him without moving my head -- if I move, it'll make people wonder what I'm looking at, because he's not there for them, I remind myself. _He's telling us something he thinks is important,_ I write in my notebook, hoping Dark's the only one reading over my shoulder.

Dark snickers. "Clearly he knows what he's talking about. After all, if you didn't know every detail about how this vase was plucked from its nice, dark, safe, climate-controlled vault and brought here for your personal scrutiny, you wouldn't have a chance of understanding it properly."

_Dark..._ I want to shake my head, but I can't let myself. _He's trying to give us all the information he has, even if most of it is completely useless. He's trying._

Dark starts laughing loudly. I manage to not jump at the sudden sound, but my hand twitches, drawing a line down part of the page. Vael looks over at me for a second and then goes back to whatever he's writing.

Garrimed snickers. "Don't doze off, Masters," he says just loud enough for me to hear.

He thinks I'm dozing off? Good; I can live with that.

Dark puts his hand on my head. "I haven't seen that kind of writing in a while. Nice penmanship."

What is he talking about? Is he making fun of my handwriting? I look down.

Halfway down the block of text on the page, the writing switches abruptly from my usual handwriting to a different alphabet, one similar enough that I can still read it, but different enough that it's obviously not the same language, not really. I've seen it before, on old manuscripts and the like -- it's an older form of Hylian.

All I can do is stare down at it. I... I can write it, too? That shouldn't be a huge surprise, I guess; if I can speak it, why _can't_ I write and read it? Even so, part of me is a little surprised at this, and not just the fact that I switched languages without realizing again. It sounds stupid just thinking about it, but if I can understand the older languages because of the memories of earlier heroes... then at least some of the earlier heroes were literate. It's... not really something I put much thought to before.

I close my eyes and sigh inwardly. I think I just called my earlier selves idiots. Why _wouldn't_ they be literate? There's plenty of evidence of that being a common thing, and yet... Part of it is that I feel almost like there's someone else in my head, and that's a creepy thought.

Dark pats my head and says something, but I'm not listening to him right now. Instead, I decide to focus on the meeting, even though there's not much to it. Chambers is going around the room, asking everyone in turn for his or her opinion.

"You're not listening to me, are you?" Dark whispers in my ear.

_I want an explanation for this later._

"I've already explained this, haven't I? You've got all the memories of all the earlier Links in your head, but most of the time they just sleep. Every now and then, something will wake up, and you'll reach back in time and start speaking one of the older languages. I thought you understood that."

_I'm still coming to terms with that. And now I find out that I can read and write them, too? Why haven't I slipped before? I've seen lots of old manuscripts._

He laughs. "It's amazed what you can accomplish when you aren't worried about whether or not you _can_ do something." He nudges my side. "I think it's almost your turn."

It must be; Vael is saying something about trying to determine what type of enchantments are on the vase, while Chambers is nodding.

"Masters, is there anything about this in the legends?"

"I'm not aware of anything at the moment," I say, "but I'll look into it."

Chambers nods -- apparently I said exactly what he wanted me to -- and then turns to Garrimed. "I'd like you to find out everything you can about the swords."

Garrimed snorts, but I don't really hear his reply. I'm too busy making myself a note to look into any and all instances of a single eye, with or without wings, and any references to a magical sword and the number four.

Dark puts his head on my shoulder. "Think you'll be able to find anything?"

I just sigh. Maybe this won't be as difficult as I think it will be, but it probably will. I'm certain I would remember something as bizarre as a winged eye, and I've never encountered anything like this before. And I study mythology!

Of course, if this vase has been sitting around as long as we think it has... do the myths connected to this thing still exist, or have they already been lost to time? I may as well be trying to find a fairy wandering the streets of Northcastle if that's the case.

"Well, then, if no one has any questions... We'll have another meeting on this at the end of the week. I know that isn't much time, but I'd like to see what we can find. As it is, this vase is going to be going a display in the museum for the Gala, and that's in two months. It's a tight timetable, but if at all possible, I'd like to have some idea what this piece's significance is before then." Chambers looks around the room. "Then, I suppose I shall see you all at the next meeting."

I sigh. The Royal Gala is only the biggest and more prestigious event the museum puts on all year. And Chambers wants us to have information for it? Two months. Damn, this year's flying by faster than I thought. Let me see... if the Gala's in two months, then it's less than a month until Winter Night. This shouldn't be so surprising, I guess -- it _is _fall, after all.

"Masters, I'll let you know if I find a name for that sword, but if I were you, I wouldn't rely solely on me," Garrimed says, nodding to me as he leaves.

I nod back. "I'm not even sure I can find anything. Assuming there's anything in the record, it's going to be painfully obscure," I mutter, staring over at the vase. "I may focus on the legends about the hero, but if this exists in our record, I should know. This is pretty distinctive."

Vael shrugs and glances over at me as he moves over to sit closer to the vase; the color is starting to return to his face, or at least as much as he usually has. His skin is always pale. "Maybe it's connected to the wind. I mean, it has wings, right?"

"Wings can symbolize a lot of things, Vael," I reply. It could be wind, but what does some kind of evil flying eye have to do with wind? I _hate_ feeling this lost.

"I..." He gets an odd look on his face. "Let's just say I've got a hunch. This thing has a connection to the wind. I know it. Just..." He chuckles nervously. "Just trust me on this, okay?"

Vael's hunches tend to be correct, but... well, any starting point is as good as any other right now. "I'll check that out. Do you need any help with your part?"

"I... I think I've got it under control. I might need some help later, but if I do, I'll let you know."

I nod. "Then I guess I'm off to start searching the legends. See you around, Vael. Don't work too hard."

He laughs. "Same to you, Link. See you."

I pick up my notebook and head out into the hallway. Then I look back into the room. Vael is writing in his notebook again, seemingly ignoring the vase just in arm's reach. I get the impression he'd rather not be stuck in a room with that vase again, but, well, he doesn't have much of a choice.

Nor do I. I start towards my office, glancing around to make sure none of my coworkers are in the hallway. "Are you sure you've never seen that thing before?" I ask softly.

"Link, I may be old, but I'm not senile. I would remember something like that if I had seen it. The closest thing I can think of right now is the Sheikah Eye of Truth, but it doesn't have wings, and it isn't evil. So I'm not going to be much help."

I shake my head as we walk into my office. "This is going to be a long week."

xXx

Unsurprisingly, I don't find anything -- which is why I'm still looking through texts when the meeting's in just over an hour. I'm not even sure why I'm still trying to find anything, but I just can't give up.

Dark whistles softly from the other side of my desk. "I think I just found something, Link."

I don't look up from the index I'm skimming. "What?"

"Well, it's a little hard to see, but there's this sketch here..." He holds up his book.

The illustration is a copy of a sketch found in the library of an old researcher -- the caption dates the sketch at around six hundred years old -- of a much older, badly weathered carving. It's not even complete; there are holes scattered all over the image.

Even so... The sketch shows what appears to be a giant winged eye hovering menacingly over four identical figures holding four identical swords. At least, I think the four figures are identical -- it's hard to know for certain with all the breaks in the image, but what I can see looks the same.

The winged eye isn't quite the same; the one on the vase is much more ornate, especially around the lashes. But the similarity is strong enough that I want to say it's the same style, especially since the overall weathering of the original carving could have obscured the details. The swords the four figures hold are eerily similar to the four swords carved around the vase. The picture is framed by writing, although the writing is no more intact than the image; it appears to be the same style that rings the vase's mouth.

I still can't read it. I wish I could. Then I could at least get answers, even if I couldn't share them with anyone.

"That... that looks like our vase, all right." I set down my index. "What does that book give as context?"

"Context?" Dark laughs. "There isn't any context. This is just here as a piece of art. It says here that ten years or so ago, the writers of this book came across a set of old journals that were full of sketches like this one. Whoever drew these didn't try to analyse it, nor did he leave any details as to where the original carvings were found. They're here as examples of ancient Hylian art, no more, no less."

I scowl. Great! I finally find an evil winged eye, and there's no context at all for it. It's better than what I expected to find -- nothing -- but I really wish there was more than just a picture. "So, all we really have is a picture with similar elements in it. Here, let me see that; maybe there's something I can't see from over here."

Dark hands me the book. "Here."

I am missing something. It's faint, but it's there. Drawn so that it appears to hover over the four figures is a small triangle with wavy lines radiating from it. A neatly written column of notes in what looks like middle Hylian off to one side of the sketch points out what I already know: while the appearance of the glowing triangle has changed over the centuries, there are only so many historical and mythological figures worthy of having a triangle -- a Triforce -- drawn over their heads. Those figures include the Goddesses, naturally, as well as the King of Evil, the Princess of Wisdom, and the Chosen Hero.

And if the winged eye is evil, then the four figures must be the Chosen Hero -- heroes? It's weird; the glowing Triforce is over the group, yet the four all look alike... I don't understand what this is supposed to symbolize, and I guess I'll never know. This is _clearly_ a legend of the hero, but I've never encountered even the smallest reference to this before.

Dark says he's awake when the hero is alive. So he should remember this. I think maybe I should, too, but... this is all so strange, so foreign.

I take a slow breath to try to calm the chaos that is my head. "Dark, I know I keep asking this, but are you sure you've never seen this before?"

"Link, I don't remember what happened, all right?" he snaps, sounding strangely bitter. "Stop asking me about that! I'm not going to remember just because you asked me!"

"So you knew."

He growls and glares down at the floor. "Damn it."

"You've seen this." I stare at him. "Please, Dark, tell me what you can."

"No. You don't need to know about that. Yes, I've seen it, but I don't remember much of it at all."

"Why not?" I ask. He's never had a problem remembering anything _else._

Dark looks pained for a second, and then he glares at me. "You don't need to know."

"Fine," I say with a sigh. I'm tired of arguing already. I've got a meeting in -- I check my pocketwatch -- half an hour. I don't have time for this. "Can you at least tell me what this thing is called?"

"I... I'll consider it."

Better than nothing, I guess. I glance down at the illustration one last time before marking the page and closing the book. I need to take this to the meeting. Chambers especially will be interested in this new legend. It's nagging at me now, that there's at least one legend of the hero I'm not familiar with. If there's one, are there others?

"Dark..." I want to ask him. I need to know. But I... I'm not just asking him about legends; I'm asking him about people he cared about, people he lost. I shake my head; how can I ask him?

I feel like such a jerk for even thinking about asking that. "Never mind. I'm going to the meeting; I'm not sure how long it's going to take." And then I pick up the book and leave.

Dark doesn't follow me. I don't blame him.

I'm such a jerk.

xXx

I walk into the conference room and fall into a chair over at my usual end of the table, not bothering to see if anyone else is here yet. It doesn't matter. I just want this meeting over with so I can go find a dark corner to go hide in for a while.

"Link, are you all right?" Vael asks, sitting down beside me.

"Vael, do you think I'm a jerk?"

"What?" He chuckles nervously. "Where did that come from? I don't think you're a jerk."

I glance down at the book. "I said something I shouldn't have earlier. I think I upset a friend."

Vael shrugs. "Well, I'm not sure what to tell you. Try apologizing. I mean, things have been hectic, right? It's just stress, most likely. You're spending so much time focusing on work that it's all you really think about. If it makes you feel better, I've done that before, too. It took a while to get my friend to trust me again, but I got through it. Apologizing helps."

Except Dark seems to hate it when I apologize. "I... I should do that later, I guess."

He pats my shoulder. "Relax, Link, you don't have to do everything at once. One thing at a time, and all that. Did you find out anything?"

I open the book. "I found this."

Vael pales for a second at the picture, but he quickly clears his throat. "Interesting. Is this connected to a tale, or is this just a picture?"

It's weird, but his tone of voice makes me wonder if he already knows the answer. "There's a story connected to it... but I can't read it. So all we have is this one image. What'd you find out?"

"There are at least three different magics on the vase, at least one of which is a seal."

"So there's something sealed inside that thing? No wonder it feels so wrong."

He nods. "Yeah."

It doesn't take long before the meeting starts; oddly enough, most of the team doesn't show up. Chambers looks around at those of us who are here and nods his head.

"I'm guessing those of you who are here have something of interest to report? The others have already informed me of the results of their investigations. Unfortunately, we don't have much to go on."

Turns out that of those of us who showed up, Vael and I are the only two with any real findings. I show the illustration and point out the Triforce above the heroes' heads; there's not really much else I can say about it. It does seem to get Chambers' interest, as he starts asking me a lot of questions I don't have answers for.

All I can tell him is that I can look into it, even though I know, somehow, that none of this has records anymore. It's too old, and it's been forgotten for too long. Barring a small miracle, we'll never know this story.

Vael's findings are interesting, as well. One spell is the seal he mentioned earlier. Another seems to be meant to preserve the structural integrity of the vase itself. And the third, well...

"I can't really explain it. It isn't an enchantment." Vael stares down at his notebook. "It seems to be the latent magic of whatever is sealed within that vase. Whatever it is, it must have some magical ability, and it seems quite strong."

Chambers ponders that for a moment. "How strong is the seal?"

Vael adjusts his glasses. "Both the seal and the spell preserving the vase seem to be strong, but I'm not so certain. Seals have a tendency to decay over time, and given the timeframe we seem to be dealing with... I can't say with any certainty that the seal will last much longer."

"Would it be possible to strengthen it?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "I don't know. This is very ancient magic; our modern ways may not compatible. If the two styles of magic clash too strongly, it could very well shatter the vase and release whatever is inside."

I raise an eyebrow. "Is it safe to have something like this on display? What if the seal breaks?"

"There's no need to worry, either of you," Chambers says. "I will pass along word to ward the case we put the vase into. That way, should the seal break, the presence will be trapped inside the case."

Could that really work? I don't know that much about magic, granted, but I have my doubts.

Vael mutters something under his breath, then, "Very well, Professor."

Chambers nods. "I'd like each of you to give me a written copy of your findings -- including anything you may discover in the next few weeks -- by a week before the Gala. That way I can ensure that the display is properly prepared."

I make a note to do that, although I'm really not sure what I have that I can write up; my one piece of evidence does a good job of speaking for itself.

"If that's settled, then, I must be off. I have an important meeting in a little while. I will see you two around, then?" And he's gone.

"I don't think that vase should be on display. It's dangerous," Vael says softly.

I shake my head. "Don't worry too much about it, Vael. As soon as he mentions this to the people in charge of Gala security, that vase is going to be the most secure thing in the entire kingdom." It's meant to be comforting, but the words sound empty to me.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "I hope you're right. Well, I'm off."

I grab my things and head back to my office, stopping at the closed door. It's probably locked, but I do have a key. But should I go inside, or just go home? What am I doing? I don't even know if Dark's even still here.

Whether he is or not, I can't just stand out in this hallway forever. I try the door; it's unlocked. And Dark isn't here. My office holds only the desk and the chairs and the packed bookcases.

I walk over and set the book on my desk. I don't blame him. I wouldn't stay either, not with someone being so heartless, so callous, so cold. I fall into my chair and put my head in my hands. There's nothing I can do to make up for that, either, is there? Then again, I may not ever see him again.

...Then _again_, he's hinted that he follows me around, even though I can't see him. What if he's doing that now? Maybe he's still here, and I just can't see him.

Wait. If this is such a hard topic for him, why'd he show me that picture? He was the one looking through that book, not me. He could have easily said there wasn't anything in there, and yet he decided to show me. He chose to let me know that tale exists. Why would he do that if it's such a painful subject?

I just don't understand this.

"Are you planning something, Dark? Is that what this is all about?" I say with a sigh. It helps to hear my voice. "What's going on here?"

There's a hand on my head. "I'm not planning anything, really. I just don't like thinking about that."

So he _is _still here. Well, if he's here, I may as well just ask him. "Then why show me something that hurts you?"

He sighs and walks around to sit in the other chair, looking serious. "Because you need to know."

"It's because of that vase, isn't it?"

Dark picks up the book and opens it to the marked page, staring down at the illustration. I shake my head and start packing my bag. I should just stop talking, I think, stop talking and go home and pretend this afternoon never happened.

"Vaati," Dark says finally, softly.

I stop. "What?"

He points at the winged eye in the picture. "Vaati the Wind Sorcerer. That's who that is."

"Vaati...?" And suddenly, things make sense. "He's sealed inside that vase, isn't he? That's what happened -- the hero," I point at the four figures under the triangle, "defeated Vaati and sealed him away."

For several minutes, neither of us say anything. Then, Dark speaks. "The Hero of the Four Sword fought the Wind Sorcerer and defeated him. But his power had to be sealed away, and so it was. It was supposed to be cast into obscurity forever, but..."

"Chambers found the vase." I try to let all of that sink in. "So, Vaati didn't die? And the Four Sword... Why was it called that?"

"The Sword's power was the power to split a man into four," Dark replies. "As for Vaati, he was defeated, not killed. When he... With his dark power stripped from him, he wasn't the threat he once was. There wasn't a need to..." He closes his eyes. "That's all I know."

"Split a man into four? That's why all four figures have the Triforce over their heads! They're all the same person! That explains it... and why the sword is on the vase four times..." I take a deep, shaky breath. "Then that vase holds what? The spirit of an evil sorcerer?"

Dark opens his eyes and stares straight at me. "The spirit and power of a man who wanted nothing more than to crush Hyrule and make it his forever."

"Vael said that the seal might be decaying. But if that happens, then this Vaati will be free to..." An icy chill runs down my spine at that thought. If that seal breaks -- if anything happens to that vase -- then a crazed, evil madman with the desire to capture and destroy Hyrule will be unleashed.

"I know."

_Every time you were born, Hyrule's needed you._ Dark said that at the Great Palace. Is he right? I didn't really think that much about it before, but now that I've seen that vase, now that I know that there's only a ceramic vase and a magical seal keeping the Wind Sorcerer from trying to destroy Hyrule again...

And if he escapes, the Master Sword is the only thing standing between him and his goal. I'm the only thing standing in his way.

Farore, what am I supposed to do now?


	5. Memories of Home

_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews, guys. They're very appreciated._

_

* * *

_**Memories of Home**

Today is Northcastle's first day of snow. I love snow. It always reminds me of home.

I lock the door behind me and carefully make my way down the steps; someone has salted them. This would be a good day to just wander a park or relax at home, but I've got plans today. It's a little strange having plans that don't involve work.

Dark should be around here somewhere. I shrug my bag higher on my shoulder and look around. Even though the large duffel bag is supposed to hold my bow and quiver, it's now my sword carrier; the thought of carrying a sword is incredibly strange, but I need to. I can't very well spar with Dark in the apartment, after all.

I'm carrying the Master Sword as well as my practice blade, even though the blade of evil's bane still seems like a shadow of its former self. All I can do is hope that should I need its power, I can wake it up. In the meantime, I can only keep it safe and learn how to use it.

This isn't exactly the best day for this, what with the snow and the cold air. I sigh, watching the cloud of steam that is my breath as it fades into the breeze. It isn't like I have a choice. I need to learn how to use a sword, and I don't know how much time I have to do that.

I start walking across the complex, heading towards the parking lot. I round the corner of the building and stop.

Dark is out in the parking lot, doing some kind of exercise with his sword. He's not really moving as much as he's _flowing_, the shining steel of his blade like an extension of his arm. All of his clothing is black, and against the snow, he looks almost like an actual shadow, a silhouette dancing across a field of white.

He really knows how to fight, doesn't he? This isn't like watching the guards spar or Garrimed demonstrate a technique -- those are interesting, but this, _this_ is something completely different. I don't even really have words for it; it's as if he's taken the art of swordsmanship and turned it into exactly that -- an _art_.

I just stand there, transfixed, as he finishes his dance and then sheathes his sword.

"You... you're really good," I say.

"I've had a lot of time to practice." Dark grins. "Well, ready to start?"

"I guess I am."

He laughs. "Then get your sword out."

The next several hours are a blur, really. Dark shows me how to hold the sword and swing it, and before long he's swinging at me and making me parry and block his blade. At one point, I think we even spar for a bit, although I'm pretty sure Dark wins. I'm not sure if I'm being taught how to use a sword, or if he's just helping me remember what I didn't even know I knew.

The only thing I know for certain is that my arms are _killing _me by the time we finish. I'm going to be stiff as a board tomorrow. I haven't hurt this much since that night I skid off a trail on my bike, and that night I sprained my left arm.

Why is my back so cold? Oh, I'm laying on the snow. I don't remember laying down -- but then again, I can't remember much of the last several hours, either, so that doesn't really mean much.

Dark is sitting next to me, watching the cars on the nearby road. I look up at him. He looks... peaceful. It's weird when I think about it; he doesn't really _act_ like he's lived a dozen or more lives. Then again, how is an immortal supposed to act, anyway?

I sit up, wincing at the pain in my back. Yeah, work is going to be_ fun _tomorrow.

He glances at me and grins. "You're out of practice."

"I'm an archer, not a swordsman," I say, looking across the complex at the road. "It's not like I've ever had a reason to practice."

"Well, you've got one now, don't you? Besides, you did good for your first time. You need more practice before you'll do very well in combat, but at least you've got your bow until then." He stretches. "And I've got your back."

"Good, because my back is killing me right now," I mutter. I should go take a nice, hot shower, but the apartment is way over there and I'm comfy here watching the cars drive past.

He snickers. "Poor Link. Oh, hello, Mikau!"

I turn to look towards my apartment. It's Mikau, all right, walking towards us looking worried. Is Dark visible? I don't know. I've been out here for hours, and I'm just now wondering that? Damn it; I have to remember that he can hide from other people!

"There you are, Link! I was beginning to think you'd just disappeared or something. Man, what are you doing out here in the snow?"

"Practicing," I say weakly.

Mikau shakes his head. "You're crazy, you know that? It's freezing out here! Oh? Who's this?"

So Dark _is _visible. "Well, this is... uh..." Damn it; I can't come up with anything!

"I'm Link's cousin, Dark. Nice to meet you, ah... I didn't get your name."

I breathe a soft sigh of relief. We're cousins; I need to remember that.

"Me? Name's Mikau. Link never mentioned you before... then again, Link doesn't talk much about his family. Neither do I, actually." He laughs. "Dark, huh?"

"Yeah. I've been out near Mido for several years; we don't get to see each other much. But I'm moving here, and I just happened to have his address, so I decided to drop by."

Mikau nods. "All right, then, Dark, you got something against warm apartments? 'Cause you know Link and I have one, right? You don't have to sit out here on the cold snow if you don't want to." He shivers, even under his thick jacket. "Me, now, I'm going inside. You're welcome to come up." And with that, he starts walking back towards the apartment.

Dark puts our swords into my case then slings it over his shoulder as he stands up. "Heh. Let's see if your roommate can stand me." He helps me to my feet.

"Why are you worried about that? If he hates you, you'll just turn invisible." And Dark will, too. He's spent plenty of time invisible to the rest of the world while he follows me around. I don't see what's so fascinating about me, really.

"Don't you remember? I was thinking about moving in with you. And that's kind of hard to do if your roommate decides that he hates me." He grins. "So, let's go see what he thinks of me."

I shake my head, but I follow him up into the apartment. Mikau is in his usual chair, curled up under a blanket and watching something on TV.

"So, decided to come in, did you? I'm making some cocoa if you want some."

That sounds good to me. I pull off my jacket and boots and head into my room; I need to get out of these wet clothes. I can hear Dark and Mikau talking as I close my door.

Hopefully I won't walk out into a fight, but for now, all I can do is leave them to their conversation. I pull off my wet clothes and lay them out so they can dry. Damn, I'm cold now. I throw on an old shirt and a pair of well-worn jeans and head back out into the living room.

As soon as I sit down on the couch, there's a mug being held out toward me. I take it simply because it's being offered to me; it's cocoa. Good; I could use something warm to drink.

Dark snickers at me as I take a sip. I raise an eyebrow at him, but he doesn't answer.

"Why are you moving here? Y'know, if I can ask," Mikau says; he's flipping idly through the channels to give his hand something to do.

Dark shrugs. "I needed a change of pace, really, and I'm going to be trying to get on at the museum. If I can't do that, well..." He laughs. "I've got plenty of experience as a guard."

I ignore the look he shoots over at me, instead focusing on drinking my cocoa and trying to warm up. I didn't feel that cold outside, but now I'm _freezing_. This is what I get for laying down in the snow, I guess. Oh, well, at least I have something warm to drink.

I think I hear a meow, but I don't pay much attention.

"Wow. You don't really look like the guard type, you know?"

There's a guard _type_? People in uniform look like guards; people in normal clothes look like normal people. Am I just missing something?

"Maybe not, but I know how to handle a sword. Anyway, do you know where there are any apartments available? I need to find somewhere to stay."

Mikau looks thoughtful for a minute. "Hey, Link, how well do you and your cousin get along?"

"Pretty well." That's... not really a lie. I spent a week sharing a room and later a tent with him and didn't have any major problems. "Why?"

"We're not having a lot of luck finding ourselves a roommate, Link."

I need a blanket. I set my mug down on the table and grab one from the hall closet; then I walk back to the couch and make myself comfortable again. Dark scoots closer and slides under the blanket with me.

"I don't want to force myself in here; I can find somewhere else," Dark is saying. He sounds smug, although I'm not sure if I'm hearing it or imagining it.

I glare at him out of the corner of my eye. He's doing this on purpose. It doesn't matter what Mikau says, because one way or another I'm stuck with Dark. At least Mikau gets a choice.

Dark nudges me under the blanket with his foot and snickers.

Mikau grins. "Nah, it's not like you're forcing yourself in here. We've been trying to find someone to stay in that third room for months now. For whatever reason, no one really wants to stay in the same place as us. Guess we aren't very trustworthy."

"Well, we do make an odd pair, Mikau," I say. "Besides, about half the time we're the ones who don't like the looks of the guy wanting to move in." I try not to think about some of the people we've turned down, but, well, it's kind of hard to forget the guy wanting to move into an apartment shared with two other people and bring his three _large_ dogs with him.

That's bad enough, and that's not even factoring in the fact that Mikau has a cat. A cat who _hates_ dogs, and most people, too.

He just laughs at that. "True!"

"I'm a pretty odd guy, myself," Dark says with a laugh, nudging me with his foot again. I nudge back. That's an understatement.

"Yow!"

Mikau gets up and walks over to his closed bedroom door. "What is it, Japas? Do you hear a voice you don't recognize?" He opens the door and Japas slinks out and over to the couch. "Or are you just mad we're all in here ignoring you?"

Japas doesn't answer, of course; he hops up onto the couch between Dark and me and starts sniffing Dark, his tail twitching.

Dark sits there, slightly tense, watching the cat as it keeps sniffing. What's so interesting about the way he smells? Unless... maybe Japas can smell the age on him?

I reach over and scratch the cat behind his ears. "It's okay, Japas. He's a friend."

Japas looks over at me and yowls. He moves his head and sniffs at my hand, and then he hops into Dark's lap and rolls over onto his back.

He thinks that Dark is me; that's what he always does when he wants me to scratch his stomach. And Japas doesn't do that for just anyone. Dark must smell like me. I guess that makes sense. I mean, if a shadow has a smell, it should be similar to that of its source, right?

Dark grins and starts rubbing Japas' stomach. "I guess you like me, don't you, cat?"

"His name's Japas," Mikau says with a big grin. "And he's picky about who he lets pet him. You can't be that horrible of a guy if he likes you. What do you think, Link? Think your cousin would make a good roommate?"

I look over at Dark -- he looks almost _normal_ with that big black and gray tabby cat in his lap -- and sigh. "Yeah, I think he'd be a good roommate."

"Then it's settled! When can you move in? Oh, yeah, and if you need a truck, you can borrow mine. I'm not sure what you drive..."

Dark grins. "An Epona."

"Really? Hey, that's pretty cool. And that'll make it easy for you to find parking, 'cause some of the little old ladies in the next building get sloppy with their parking sometimes. But no matter how badly they mess up, you can find room to stick a bike. Hopefully."

"Hopefully?"

"You haven't seen how some of those ladies try to park yet, have you? You'll see."

xXx

"How many more boxes do you _have_, Dark?" I yell, leaning out of the mostly-open front door.

"Two more, and I'm getting both of them, so quit complaining!"

I shake my head and walk down to the truck. Dark is up in the bed, alternating looks at the box in his hands and the ground. I raise an eyebrow. He hasn't had any problems throwing any of his other boxes down to the ground, so what's the problem now?

"You can just toss that, you know," I say.

"No, I can't. These two have important stuff in then. I'm not just tossing them." He sounds annoyed that I'd even suggest that.

"Well, can you hand them to me, or is that unacceptable, too?"

He looks at me and then at the box, and then he mumbles what sounds like, "It's all wrapped up, so you can't touch any of it..." And then he leans over and hands me the box.

It's a lot heavier than it looks. A _lot_. I almost drop it, but I manage to catch it; the box makes a rattle like metal striking metal.

"Careful, Thrice damn it! That's my gear!"

"Your gear?"

"Yes, my gear. Now set that down and take this one so I can get out of this thing."

I do. The second box isn't as heavy as the first -- or maybe it's just that I'm expecting this one to be heavy. Dark hops out of the truck bed and picks up the other box.

"So, is this all of it?"

"Yes," he hisses.

I nod. "Good; then I can call Mikau and tell him he can come get his truck."

"Does he need it for something?"

"His band has some concert tonight out on the other side of town; they use his truck to haul a lot of their stuff. He probably won't be back until sometime tomorrow, if not later." I walk into the apartment and stop somewhere out of Dark's way. "Where do you want me to put this?"

"In here is fine; I'll have room to lay it all out." He sets his box on the floor by the couch, looking thoughtful. "I haven't really gone over everything yet. I just checked to make sure it was all still here and see what my new addition is, and then I boxed it up and put it in storage."

I set my box down next to his and then go close the front door. "You mean..."

"I normally carry at least some of it with me, but..." he laughs bitterly, "I'd look a little strange carrying some of this stuff around. The only people who carry weapons anymore are the guards."

"That's not true. Lots of people carry weapons."

He sits down and opens one of the boxes. "Really."

"Yeah. I carry my bow around in its case, and," I reach inside my jacket and pull my knife out of the secret pocket, "I always have a knife, just in case. I really use it for as a makeshift screwdriver and for cutting stuff open, but still. I've got one."

Dark grins. "What do you know? I've got a knife, too. But mine's bigger." He pulls a dagger out of his right boot; the blade gleams in the light. "At least I know you've got enough sense to be prepared." He slides the dagger back inside his boot. If I hadn't just seen that, I'd never know there was a _dagger_ in there, or anything else for that matter.

Compared to that dagger, my knife is tiny. I slide it back into its pocket and head for the 'phone. I call Mikau, and then I make sure Japas has plenty of water before heading back into the living room.

The table in the middle of the room now looks like a display at the museum, a neat line of well-cared-for but still clearly ancient pieces of equipment down its center. Dark is polishing something small as I walk over and sit next to him.

I can't believe what I'm seeing -- all of this is his? "This is your gear?"

"Some of it, yeah," Dark says proudly, holding up the object in his hand. It's a bracelet, a thick copper band with strange symbols carved along its outside. "Some of it was his first, but some of it has always been mine." He grins and holds the bracelet out. "Go on; put this on."

Is what happened with the Mirror Shield going to happen again? I reach out and let my fingers brush against the bracelet; it tingles with magic. Nothing else happens.

Dark laughs. "It's okay, Link. This is mine."

I nod, taking the bracelet. "What does it do?"

"Put it on. You'll see."

"What do you mean, put it on? I don't even know what this is!" Even so, I shake my head and slide the bracelet onto my left wrist. Immediately, my arm starts tingling in a weird way, and the tingle rapidly spreads up my arm and down the other. I feel... stronger, somehow.

"What in the world is this?" I ask, holding up my hand and flexing my fingers.

"It's called a Power Bracelet," Dark says, leaning in and taking my hand. "It increases your strength. It's really useful."

"I... I can imagine." I slide the bracelet off, shaking my head at the sudden feeling of weakness I have now. That's... That's really weird. "It seems odd having that kind of enchantment on a bracelet."

He laughs. "That's the point. Would you think that bracelet could make me stronger? No; you'd just think I'm strong. I don't like to advertise my gear, or much of anything else, really. The less people know about my tricks, the better."

He has a point; anyone who knows about his gear and what it does also knows what and how to counter. Yet, he's telling me. He's showing me. Does he trust me that much?

"Are you going to wear it?" I ask, simply because I feel like I have to say something and I don't know what else to say.

"Not every day. When I think I'll need it, yeah, I'll wear it. I think I might start carrying some of this around with me. The way things are going, I may just need it." He sets the bracelet down next to a pair of black leather gloves studded with strips of dull metal over the hands. "There's a storm brewing, Link. We don't know where and we don't know when, but there's a storm coming, and it's going to be a big one."

I shake my head, turning my attention to the line of equipment on the table. A hammer, a flute, the gloves, the bracelet, some strange cup-shaped thing with a claw coming out of the base of it, a bow, some kind of medallion... The flute is the strangest thing, for some reason. The rest looks like it has something to do with combat, or maybe in helping him move around, but the flute is... just a flute. Well, it's not just _any_ flute; it's an expertly carved one with delicate patterns running down its sides, but it's still a musical instrument, no matter how beautiful it is.

And I just can't picture Dark playing a flute.

"I didn't know you knew how to play something like that," I say softly, still staring at it.

He looks at me and then down to the flute before reaching down and picking it up. "I know how to play it. I'm good at it, too. Need me to prove it?"

"I just... You hardly strike me as the kind of person who would enjoy that." It's the truth. He seems more of a combat person, but is it how he comes across...? Or is it more that I'm trying to find some simple one or two word description for him? It could be the latter; probably is, knowing me. I'm bad about that.

Dark chuckles. "You'd be surprised." And he raises the flute to his lips and starts to play a soft melody, his fingers expertly dancing on the holes. His eyes are closed, his face relaxed. He doesn't seem like the same person I saw dancing with a sword a few days ago or the same person who has lived multiple lives...

But he is.

I lean back and close my eyes. The song is a pretty one. It's not really slow, nor is it really fast; it's just a steady melody. It's... slightly happy, if I can call a song happy, but there's something sad about it. The song seems to pull at me, and I can't really tell if I'm on my couch or if I'm laying on my back in a field of grass. It seems almost like I'm in two places at once, but the song is present in both.

I open my eyes -- there's my ceiling; a nearby tree is dancing in the breeze -- and look over at Dark. His eyes are still closed, his fingers still moving. His clothes seem to alternate between a black sweater and jeans and a long black tunic over black pants. It's extremely disorienting; I have to close my eyes again.

What am I doing here? I wonder, although I'm not sure if I'm asking that of myself or if I'm trying to talk to someone I used to be. I don't get an answer. My head's fuzzy and I want to sleep...

And then the song ends.

"Link?" Dark's voice sounds faraway.

I open my eyes again, staring blankly up at the few clouds that float across the ceiling. "I'm confused," I say softly. At least, I think I say it. I _try_ to say it, anyway; I'm not sure if the words come out.

He puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Link. Whatever it is, it's all right. Just rest."

Rest. That sounds good. I could use a nap after the fight with that knight. That was _hard_... I'm not exactly used to jumping at a man on horseback, but that's over now. My leg aches.

I scowl and shift, rolling to the side and pulling my legs up on the couch next to me. Couch; that's right, I'm in my apartment. I just finished helping Dark move his stuff inside. I blink, and the clouds are gone, as is the feel of grass against me. I'm inside, on a couch.

And I'm not hurt, not really. My arms and shoulders are still a little sore from the sparring match a few days ago, but I'm not hurt.

"What's wrong?" Dark asks.

My head is much clearer now. "I think I just remember something I've never done."

He pats me on the head. "I figured as much. You okay now?"

"I think I am. I'm still a little confused." I sit up and blink at him. He isn't holding the flute anymore; it's already back in its place in the line. He doesn't look concerned about what just happened, but he does seem a little down.

"You didn't have to do that," I say. And he _didn't_. He didn't need to play something like that. That was important to him, and it makes me feel like an invader every time he does this. Even if this seems to be connected to me... I sigh.

"No, I didn't. I wanted to. I don't mind, Link." He smiles. "I want you to remember, if you can."

What am I supposed to say in response to that? Do I want to remember? I don't know. Part of me wants to know more about the heroes, but... I don't know if those memories are meant to be remembered. Perhaps it's best if they're allowed to be forgotten.

But at the same time, maybe if I let myself -- or _make _myself -- remember the things Dark wants me to, I can learn something that might help me if that vase ever breaks.

"Dark, do you think that Vaati is going to free himself?"

"I don't know. I do know that putting it up on display is probably a bad idea; no matter how well the mages ward the case it's in, all it will take for Vaati to get loose is for someone to decide he wants to break that vase. I'm certain that no one knows who Vaati is anymore, but... There's something I need to tell you, Link."

"What?"

Dark stands up and starts pacing along the table, slowly. "There's a cult in the city."

"A cult?" I lean forward. I haven't heard anything about a cult. "What kind of cult?"

"They worship the man they consider their true leader, the King of Evil."

"But Ganon's dead!" I jump to my feet. "He's dead and destroyed!"

Dark laughs bitterly. "That never stopped anyone before. In some ways, I bet they're still searching for the hero so they can pour his blood over Ganon's ashes and revive him. That's what they want: Ganon's return to Hyrule. They want to see Hyrule burn. They want to see it fall. And while Vaati is not Ganon -- and to the best of my knowledge, they never met or had any connection at all -- it isn't that much of a stretch that a cultist might one day find that vase and think it has some connection to their King."

I shiver; my body's like ice. "And if they discern the seal..."

Dark nods. "They'll break it. And Vaati will be free."

I force myself to take a deep breath. "I think I'm going to be sick. How do you know about this cult? I've never heard anything about it before..."

"They're very secretive. I've been keeping my eyes open for them since I woke up. Ganon's Slayer had to deal with something similar. Ganon's followers hunted him for most of his life, trying to kill him so they could revive Ganon. Eventually, they stopped trying. Link and I agreed that they hadn't given up; they were simply regaining their strength so they could try again.

"So when I woke up twenty six years ago, I went looking for them, and I found them. That's what I've been doing for most of our life: wandering Hyrule and destroying them wherever I find them. There's a group of cultists here in Northcastle. All the signs point to them making their move soon, although I'm having trouble keeping tabs on all of them." He shakes his head. "I'm beginning to think someone is onto me, but I can't let that stop me. I have to find out what they're planning."

I fall back onto the couch. "Dark... This whole time, you've been fighting...?"

He looks over at me. "Yes, I have."

"This happens every time, doesn't it? The fighting? Is that... Is that all I'm good for? What if I don't want to fight, Dark? What happens then?"

"Then Hyrule falls." There's no malice in his tone, no hatred, only a strange, wistful regret. I've asked him this before, haven't I?

I hang my head. "I don't have a choice, then, do I?"

"You always have a choice."

I raise my head and glare at him. "No, I don't! I can't just sit here and let Hyrule burn around me! I... I don't have a choice in this at all..."

He walks over and puts a hand on my head. "You always have a choice, Link, even if you don't think you do. Just because you can't just forsake Hyrule doesn't mean the option isn't there. Although I'm glad you feel that way. That means I don't have to deal with a coward."

Something about the way he says that... "You've dealt with one before?"

Dark looks at me and shakes his head. When he speaks, his voice is cold. "I've hunted one down before."

"You... you what?" What is he talking about?

"Link was a coward once. And not just a scared young man, either. He managed to hold himself together until the first time he saw Ganon. And that was it. He took one look at the King of Evil and he ran. No, he _bolted_. He fled Hyrule and never came back."

Once... I was too afraid to even fight? A hero who couldn't handle his destiny? No_, no_; that doesn't make_ sense_. "What happened to Hyrule?"

"I took the Master Sword and defeated Pigman, obviously. I don't like having to stand in for you, but that time, Link didn't give me much of a choice. Once that was done, I put the Master Sword somewhere safe, and then I spent the next several years hunting the coward down. I finally found him three kingdoms away, living a peaceful life. It didn't even bother him that Hyrule nearly crumbled. All he cared about was that he never had to fight."

Dark laughs coldly. "I tracked him down, and then I killed him. A coward has no right to live. Nor does he have any claim to your name."

"You... You killed me...?" That's... that's a terrifying thought. I thought he cared for me, but he... Then again, if the Link that lived then was such a coward, did he really deserve to live?

The price of failure in the hero's quest is death. It always is. That is why the hero is so legendary; a lesser man would never be able to keep himself together long enough to save Hyrule, or he wouldn't be strong enough.

I swallow hard. What was it Dark said that night at the Great Palace...? _Sometimes you weren't up to the task..._

It isn't clear cut, then. All of the legends I've studied over the years say that whenever Hyrule is in danger, the Hero will appear and save the land from evil. The legends never say anything about the hero failing. Then again, if he fails in his quest, then he isn't really a hero, is he? Why bother to remember someone who couldn't or wouldn't save Hyrule?

The legends only remember the times Hyrule has been saved; nothing else has been recorded. Nothing else is worthy of remembering. It isn't just the heroes who risk being forgotten; it's every Link who has ever lived.

But more importantly, that means there's room for failure. That's an incredibly sobering thought, that. There's a chance I might not succeed. And that means... If I fight, there's a chance I might die.

"I've failed before..." I hang my head. I already know the answer, somehow, but I have to voice the question screaming itself in my head. "I've died before, haven't I?"

For a moment he doesn't answer, and in his silence I hear another voice, a weak voice rasping out a few words that I can only just make out.

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't finish this. You don't... you don't think I'm pathetic, do you, Dark Link?_

My throat tightens until I can barely breathe. I lean back against the couch and stare up at the ceiling through the copper fringe of my hair. Red? It's a vibrant color, the sky at sunset, almost like blood in a way... I reach up to brush it out of my face, feeling the warmth of my headband under my fingers as I do so.

I hear him say something, but I can't quite make him out; his voice is too soft. All I can do is stare up at the sky and focus on breathing. It's almost sunrise. Maybe I can see the sun rise one last time...

The world starts shaking.

"Link, snap out of it!"

I blink several times, trying to clear my head. The sky is gone, replaced by the ceiling, and what little of my hair I can see is dirty blond, just like it's supposed to be.

I just remembered dying. I think... I think I'm going to be sick.

"Say something!" Dark hisses, sounding oddly frantic.

All I can do is groan; my body doesn't want to move.

And then Dark climbs onto the couch and straddles me, and I can see him. He looks every bit as frantic as he sounds, although I'm not really sure why. My mind is working; my mind is racing. A little while ago, this kind of thing didn't bother him.

Of course, a little while ago, I could _move._

Dark grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me against him. "Thrice damn it... Just stop it, Link. Whatever it is that you're remembering, just _stop." _The tone of his voice tells me that he knows. I don't understand; how does he know?

"I did," I force out.

He pulls me tightly against his chest. "There are some things I wish you wouldn't remember... but I don't have any control over that," he says finally, and then he sucks in a quick breath.

"That... That wasn't the coward, was it?" He should know... shouldn't he? He has to know I remembered something bad. There is the chance that I -- that he; that the memory -- said something that Dark is able to recognize. That might be why he's acting like this.

"No," he says; I can barely hear him, even as close as I am to him. "He was no coward. He just ran out of luck."

I try to pull away from him, but I'm still clumsy and I end up yanking him down onto the couch with me. He doesn't seem to care; I have something I have to know. "What happened to Hyrule?"

"For a while, it fell to Ganon." He sighs. "We defeated him in our next life."

I swallow hard. I don't understand any of this at all. That memory... even as he lay dying, he wasn't afraid of death. He was worried about his friends, about Hyrule... He was apologizing about failing...

"I can't believe that part of me could be that strong."

"I can," Dark says, squeezing my shoulders. "I've seen you that strong."

"No, you haven't." What is he saying? I'm just an average guy -- I can barely even defend myself, let alone do half of what the heroes of legend did.

He laughs, but he's still tense. "I've already said that I know what to look for, right? Trust me, Link; you're that strong."

No, no, I'm _not._ I'm a historian. The Link of the past was a great hero; all I can do is study the stories that his grand adventures and great battles left behind. I can't face my own death and not be afraid -- I'm nowhere near that brave.

Just the thought that the vase Vaati is sealed in might break sends a chill down my spine, and the thought that if he gets out, I could _die_ is enough to make me feel dizzy and sick and half-ready to faint. Farore, help me; I don't want to die... but if Vaati is released... I may not have any other options.

Why is this happening to me? Why can't I just be normal?

"Yow!"

"Shut up, you stupid cat!" Dark snaps, turning to look at something off away from us. Mikau's bedroom door, most likely.

"His name is Japas," I say. I can move now; apparently, Japas howling for his dinner is enough to break the thrall that memory had on me. I stand up, shakily. I still feel sick, but I'm ignoring it. Japas is hungry. I need to feed the cat.

"It's Mikau's cat; make _him_ feed the stupid thing."

I shake my head and open the door to Mikau's room. Japas bounds out and rubs happily against my legs. "Mikau isn't going to be home until tomorrow, if not later, so we need to take care of him. He wasn't a problem a few days ago, and besides, if we don't feed him, he's just going to get louder."

Dark looks like he's about to say something in response to that, but then he crosses his arms and sits back, glaring across the room. I don't want to know, I decide, heading into the kitchen with the tabby right behind me.

After everything that has happened this afternoon, feeding a cat is refreshingly _mundane._ Japas, of course, paces a tight circle around my legs while I fill his dish, meowing insistently at me. No doubt he's telling me to hurry up and feed him already.

"Calm down, Japas," I mutter as I set the dish on the floor. "It's not going anywhere."

Japas seems to think it will; he practically pounces on the dish, eagerly starting to eat. Silly cat; there's no reason to be in such a hurry.

That's my problem, I think. I want answers, and I want them now... but there aren't easy answers to any of this. This situation has too many variables to try and account for; this can't be simple.

"I don't get it," I say, sitting down next to Japas and leaning against the wall. "If Link is the Chosen Hero, why would he run? Why would he betray his destiny?"

Japas doesn't even slow down; he just keeps eating.

"Dark said something about me having the potential to be the Chosen Hero. Is that how this works? Link is born with the potential to become the hero of legend, but he first has to choose to do that? And that, if he wished, he could turn his back on his destiny and just live a normal life?"

Still no answer. What do I expect? It's not like I can talk to animals, and even if I could, I doubt Japas cares what I say as long as I let him finish his dinner.

I'm being an idiot, spending too much time focusing on questions I can't even begin to answer. A flash of memory doesn't mean anything, nor does such a quick description; there's not enough detail to get real information from. And, more importantly, I've got things I need to be doing, like working on my report for the Gala exhibit and trying to find something I can use to convince Chambers not to put the vase on display.

I look out the window at the twilit sky. It will be Winter Night soon; I should decide what my hope for the next year is. I don't even remember last year's -- no, wait; I do. Last year my hope was to start getting somewhere in the search for evidence of the hero.

I guess I got my wish, huh?

With a sigh, I stand up and walk over to the window, leaning against it. The glass is cold against my cheek. It's strange; as long as I think about the Master Sword and the Great Palace and most of what Dark says in purely technical terms, none of this bothers me.

Unfortunately, I can't think of the Master Sword as a specimen or of Vaati's vase as a display or of Dark's stories as eyewitness acounts, not really. I want to, but I can't, because there's something about all of those that is familiar somehow. I shake my head and sigh, my breath fogging up the glass. I'm biased. So horribly, horribly biased that I can't even properly consider the evidence I have.

I shouldn't be, should I? I mean, there isn't any proof that reincarnation is anything other than something people use to delude themselves. Dark isn't talking about me. The heroes may have my name, but none of them are me. Right?

"Link?"

I give Dark a weak wave. What if he isn't who he claims he is? No. I sigh again. I'm being overly skeptical now. All the evidence points to Dark being immortal... and to me being the reincarnation of the legendary hero of Hyrule. As crazy as all of that sounds.

Dark draws a little Triforce on the fogged up part of the window. "Feeling any better?"

"A little."

"I didn't mean for... well." He shakes his head. "You weren't supposed to remember that."

"It doesn't matter now. I would have found out eventually, right?"

"I don't know." Dark clears his throat. "Some Links are more interested in their past than others are. You're the most interested one of all; maybe because you're a historian. I still think that's why it's so easy to make you remember things -- you're already trying to reach back, whether you're aware of it or not, so all you need is something that triggers a memory."

Something I said let him know what I remembered earlier. "You remember him..."

"I remember each and every Link I have ever met. Every single one." He looks down as Japas rubs against his leg and meows. "What now, cat?"

"He's begging for a treat," I say with a little smile. "And I'm pretty sure that he thinks you're me." I walk over to the counter and grab the small bag of cat treats. "I'm not sure, Japas... Do you deserve a treat?"

Dark looks over at me and grins. "I think I deserve a treat."

I give Japas one; he meows happily and devours his snack. "And what kind of treat do you have in mind, Dark?" There's something about the way Dark keeps looking at me that... I think he's leering at me, and I'm not sure what to think about that. How exactly does he see me?

...I can't even ask. The question is too bizarre, and I'm not even sure I want to know, but it does make me wonder. How long has he been watching me?

"Nothing too fancy," he says, his grin getting broader, as he walks over and leans against the wall next to me.

I swallow hard. Why is he staring at me like this? "Well, that could be a lot of things."

He chuckles softly. "Some company might be nice."

"Company?" I -- I can do that. I think.

"Yeah," he leans in. "Company. You know, you and I talking, like out at the Great Palace."

Right; I can do that. I don't really want to be alone, either. When I'm alone, I think too much.

He puts a hand on my shoulder. "Besides, I need some help unpacking my stuff."

"I knew it," I say, but the distraction will do me good.

xXx

"Yow!"

I roll over at the sound, wrapping myself tighter in the blanket. I know Mikau isn't here to feed the cat, but I don't care. I'm still tired, so Japas can just stay in there and yowl for a while longer.

"_Yow_!"

"Shut _up_, cat!" Dark snarls from somewhere beside me. Wait, I'm in my bed... so how is he? I open my eyes --

And I'm looking right at Dark, who is, for some reason I can't recall right now, laying shirtless next to me. Farore, what have I -- no, wait, I'm wearing clothes, and Dark's still got his jeans on. I bury my face in my pillow. Why would I even _think_ I did that? No, I don't want to know. I don't need to know.

But I _remember_. I pull the blanket up over my head to hide the fact I'm now turning red -- my mind, meanwhile, is focusing on the way his body feels against mine, on his voice in my ear, on his teeth on my neck...

It's not easy, but I force myself to take a slow breath. At least one of the heroes was Dark's lover. That means that he's lost more than just a friend before -- not that "just a friend" would be easy to see die, but I think it would be a bit less heartbreaking than a lover.

That also means that there's more to his answer last time than I caught at the time. Does he see me that way? I kick myself mentally; I can't _ask _him something like that.

"Link," he says, shaking my shoulders. Ignore him, I think; that's what I should do.

"Link, get up and deal with the damn cat already."

"I don't want to. You do it."

He sighs. "_Link_, the cat is staring at me, and if you don't get up and deal with it, I'm going to do this _my_ way. And Mikau won't like it."

I sit up, hoping he's too distracted by Japas to notice how red I am. Japas is standing in the open doorway, staring up at the two of us, his tail twitching back and forth. He meows.

"What do you have against cats?" I have to ask. "You didn't seem fazed by him before."

"I don't like being interrupted. And I really don't like having things stare at me like that."

"He's just hungry."

"Yow!"

Dark snorts. "That's my point. Now, are you shutting him up, or do I need to?"

I climb out of bed and shake my head. "Fine, fine. I'll feed him. That's all you need to do. He's just hungry."

"No, he's just in here yowling way too damned early. I was sleeping." Dark crosses his arms and scowls. "And he's staring at me."

I head for the kitchen; Japas yowls happily as I walk into the living room and starts following me. "Impatient cat," I mutter, filling his dish and setting it on the floor. "Count yourself lucky I'm the one in here, because I don't think Dark would be nice enough to feed you."

"I'd feed the stupid thing," Dark says from over by the door to the room. "And then I'd stick him in Mikau's room and slam the door shut behind him. He's an annoyance."

"Dark..."

"Well, he _is_. Thanks to this stupid cat, we're both out of bed now."

He wants to stay in bed? "We'd have to get up sooner or later."

"Yeah, maybe. But I like just laying around. It's been a while since I got to do this." He grins again. "I've learned to take advantage of every chance I get to just be lazy."

I'm sure he has. From the sounds of it, most of what he does is fight. It just hardly seems fair to have to live like that...

"So what are you going to do today?" I ask, simply because I need to say something. "We didn't get all of your stuff unpacked last night. Do you want to do that?"

"If you want. I'm not too picky about what we do today, as long as _we_ do it." Dark chuckles. "We can always spar again."

I shake my head. "You just want to beat me again."

He laughs. "What can I say? It's fun seeing you laying on the ground."

"How about we finish unpacking your stuff first? Then maybe we'll spar."

Dark is right beside me now. "Sounds like a plan to me, Link."

I try to ignore the weird feeling in my stomach. I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to feel anymore. He's my shadow He's _me_. But there's something between us, even though I'm not certain what it is...


	6. Black Ice, Red Snow

**Black Ice, Red Snow**

I'm not getting anywhere in my search for the legend of the Four Sword. With a sigh, I lean back in my chair and rub my eyes. Some report this is going to be: a single picture, one that I don't even really need to describe. Nor _can_ I; this will all be so much easier if I can just find something -- anything! -- that mentions Vaati or the Four Sword. Then I can use the name.

And if I can find something to make Chambers lock that vase away, so much the better.

Right now, I'm searching the fragments of legends for things that I may have misunderstood before. Some of the older legends are in pieces, and the pieces that we have now don't always make sense. The legends are sometimes heavy on metaphor, and it's really hard to determine if something is meant literally or metaphorically without context. For example, one of the heroes is said to have been a beast. Whether he was really a monster of some kind or if he was more of a beast in combat or the like I don't know, because the one fragment that refers to him like that is so out of context that I'm not even sure which of the heroes it's meant to be.

I glare down at an image of what Dark calls the Eye of Truth; it's similar to Vaati's eye, but there are notable differences -- the lack of bat wings is the biggest one. Perhaps the Eye is based stylistically on Vaati's eye? Or maybe I'm just grasping at clouds because I'm getting desperate for information that doesn't involve Dark.

Because no matter how much I trust Dark, his word means nothing in a historical context. There's no proof to back any of this up, and that makes the fact that I _know_ he's telling the truth so painful. I have names. I have much more than just an image, but the image is all I can use.

There's a knock at the door. "What is it?"

"So you _are_ still in here," Vael says, opening the door and leaning in. "Are you up to getting something to eat? I'm thinking of getting something myself, but I'd really like some company."

"Sure; lunch sounds good."

"Lunch?" He laughs. "Link, it's closer to time for dinner than lunch."

I pull out my watch and flip it open; he's right. It's almost sunset. "Damn, I've been in here longer than I thought. Still, food sounds like a good idea. I'm not going to be leaving for a while yet."

He nods. "The vase, right?"

"Yeah." The same reason he's still here, most likely. I'm not sure why he and I are working so hard at this -- there's nothing to find. For me, though, this isn't really about finding the information anymore. I know the basics thanks to Dark. But no matter what I try to focus on, every time I think about that vase, all I can think about is what could happen if it breaks and Vaati gets out. If that happens, Hyrule is in serious trouble.

There has to be a way. There has to be something I can find to convince Chambers to lock it back in the vault. There _has_ to be.

"I was hoping I could talk to you about that, actually," Vael says, adjusting his glasses. "You know, somewhere away from the museum." Away from Chambers.

"Okay, I'm up for it." I grab my jacket and pull it on.

We head for a little cafe not far from the museum. It's not a very fancy place, but it's friendly and the food's good. I like the atmosphere; a lot of the students from the nearby college come by, and there's live music sometimes. Not now; late as it is, it's still a bit too early for that.

Still, the ambience of the place is completely different from that of the museum, and of my apartment for that matter. Part of that could just be the fact that Dark isn't here; he left a few hours ago, saying only that he has something he needs to do. I don't see the point in prying, although I am curious what he's up to.

That can wait, though, because there's a table in the back with Vael's and my name on it.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" I ask once we've placed our orders, sipping at my big mug of cocoa.

Vael runs a hand through his hair. "Well, it's about that vase. I don't... This might sound stupid or crazy, but I know it doesn't need to be on display."

"I agree." And I know this like I know my own name. It's a simple fact: it's too risky to have that out where someone might see it and decide to steal it, especially with the cult Dark mentioned running around the city.

He relaxes at that. "Good. Someone sees it my way. Even Garrimed thinks I'm just getting worked up over nothing, and that it's just a vase. But since when did "just a vase" bear a powerful magic seal? I want this thing locked back in the vault. If it means we have to forget about it again, fine. It's a small price to pay for Hyrule's safety."

I nod. "Even Garrimed? I thought he didn't like the vase either."

Vael takes a sip of his spiced cider and sighs. "Apparently he dislikes the vase enough to feel like researching it, but not enough to help petition for its withdrawal from the exhibit."

"That's wonderful. I thought he'd be on our side for sure." I stir the cocoa just to give my hand something to do. "I wonder if this is all because the exhibit is Chambers' idea?"

He shrugs. "What makes you say that?"

"Chambers is the Royal Historian to the current king, right? He's the single highest-ranking historian in the kingdom. That's why he's the head of the Royal History Project." I'm overthinking this; I'm _completely _overthinking this. "Maybe some of the others on the team are afraid to suggest he might be wrong about something."

"But he could be. Just because he's the head of the Project doesn't mean he does everything right. Everyone makes mistakes, even the high and mighty." Vael sounds strangely bitter about that. "What he needs is someone to tell him this, even if he doesn't listen. Then we can at least say we tried."

"Yeah." And I have to try. If I can prevent the chaos of Vaati's quest for vengeance before it even starts... "We have to try."

"So, then... when do we try?"

I look out the window at the icy sidewalks; there's salt and sand everywhere. "After Winter Night. That will give us a little more time to try to find evidence of how bad that vase is, but it will still leave plenty of time before the Gala."

"Sounds good. Just... well, what do we do if we can't find anything? I don't think Chambers is really going to listen to the fact that we both have a bad feeling about this vase."

"You've got a point there. I have my picture. It shows Va--" No, no, no! Don't use the name! "--that winged eye attacking the Chosen Hero. That right there, coupled with your discovery of a powerful seal, should lead to the conclusion that there is something evil inside that vase. If that can't sway him... I'm not sure what could."

Vael gives me an odd look, one that seems to suggest he caught that little slip, but he doesn't mention it. "If I were in charge, merely the presence of the seal would be enough. As much as I like the idea of displaying some of the castle's forgotten treasures... I would hate to be in some way responsible for the release of something evil." He shakes his head. "I don't know. I'm not Chambers, so I can't even pretend to know what that man is thinking. There isn't anyone else we can go to, though -- I already talked to the museum chairmen, and they told me that this display is all the Project's doing; the only stake the museum has in it is telling us where we can set up."

"So our only option is to convince Chambers to not exhibit it." I sigh. "Well, I'm going to keep looking. Maybe I can find something else. And even if I can't, I have to try."

Vael nods. "That's all we can do, isn't it? I hate being so powerless..." He says the second part much quieter than the first, almost to himself, but I still hear it.

I don't respond. He feels the same way I do, then, because that is exactly how I feel: powerless. The Master Sword is aged and corroded, and while I now have some slight idea how to use it, I'm still a far cry from a competent swordsman. I'm not even sure I could face Vaati if I had to... and right now, I can't even talk to Dark, because he's somewhere else.

I have to stop dwelling on this! "So, Vael," I say, deciding to change the subject to one much less depressing. "What are your plans for Winter Night?"

--

There aren't as many cultists here as I had hoped; I count nine, plus a priest. Maybe the cold weather has them discouraged, or maybe it's because the city guard is doing a better job of patrolling this park now. Or maybe the cult isn't as strong as I thought. No, they're planning something. They have to be.

The breeze is chill, carrying the voices of the gathered figures over to where I hide in the shadow of a wall.

"Prince says the pieces are falling into place. Everything will be ready on that night."

"And has he had any luck in finding and destroying the hero?"

"N-not yet, sir, though he is making progress..."

"Oh?" The man clad in priest robes raises an eyebrow. "Tell me more."

I lick my lips. Enough; I'm bored. "I think not."

All of them whirl around, trying to find me. But they're looking for the bright plate of a guard and I'm half-in, half-out of the shadows, and so they can't find me. Hmph. They must be slacking if the priest can't detect me.

I start walking towards them, taking care to crunch the icy snow under my boots as I do. They're staring at me, or rather where my footsteps are coming from, all looking like they're about to run away.

"Who's there?" the priest asks, stepping forward. He's trying to act nonchalant, but the half-panicked looks on his followers' faces ruin the effect.

I walk just close enough, and then I lash out with my blade, slicing his neck open. The priest doesn't even have time to properly react; by the time he registers that he's bleeding, his knees are giving out and he's falling to the ground.

"No one, just a shadow," I say softly, menacingly. And then I step out of the shadows and lunge for the closest person who's still alive.

They try to run, but it doesn't get them anywhere. I slash some of them across the backs of the legs, grinning as they fall to the ground screaming. Most of the others get to see what I've been saving up for days -- all the sunlight the Shield has absorbed in one brillant burst of light. They yell in surprise, clamping their hands over their eyes too late.

"What's the matter?" I say happily. "Can't run anymore?"

One of them actually picks up a large stick and comes after me. I step to the side and slam the Mirror Shield into his face, grinning at the loud _crack_ that comes from his head. He falls to the ground holding his face.

As much as I want to take my time and have some fun with these fools, I don't have the time. The guard patrol will be passing by soon; I need to be finished by then. I walk from one cultist to the next, slashing open chests, stomachs, throats, taking only as long as necessary to ensure they'll all bleed out in the next few minutes. True, I could make it quick, but I see no reason to give anyone connected to Pigman any mercy.

These bastards should just be thankful there's a patrol coming soon. If I had more time, they'd get a much longer, much more painful death. They deserve so much more than just bleeding out onto snowy ground. _So much more_.

One of the bastards I spare, for now. I grab him by the scruff of his neck and yank him up off the ground. "Who is this Prince?" I snarl. "Tell me, and I'll let you go." It's a lie, of course -- there's no way I'm letting one of Pigman's followers live any longer than he _has_ to -- but it's amazing what false hope can do for a mortal.

"I... I don't know. Please don't kill me!"

"You don't know," I repeat flatly. "Then why should I let you live?"

"Pl-please... I only know him as Prince."

"He?"

"Yes, he. He's an older man, but past that I don't know anything. Please... please let me live!"

I drop him. He looks up at me, his eyes begging for mercy. Damned Pigman-following idiot mortal. "Let me see..." His eyes widen; his mouth opens...

"No." And I thrust my sword through his mouth and out the back of his head, watching as he spasms a few times and then goes limp. I sling his corpse to the red snow beneath my feet. I look around at the ten broken bodies scattered around me on the red, red snow. Maybe I should have saved the priest for last -- though I doubt he had any more of a clue who this "Prince" is than his lackeys. That's how the cult normally works, aliases and disguises so that no one realizes that these fine, upstanding citizens of Northcastle are conspiring to revive Hyrule's greatest enemy.

"Some things never change, do they?" I ask softly. Of course they don't. Where there is power, there are those who hunger desperately for it. I raise my sword and lick some of the blood of the blade, enjoying the familiar, delicious tang of salty copper.

The shadows whisper of movement nearby: footsteps. The guards are a little early tonight, it seems. Just as well I'm already finished. I sling my shield across my back and fade into the shadows, disappearing from mortal sight just as the two guards round the corner.

I've heard the guards complain before about wishing they had something exciting happen. I grin broadly.

Is this exciting enough for you, guards?

--

Vael wraps his jacket tighter around himself. "Why is the bus always late when the weather is bad?"

"I don't know," I reply, ducking the lower part of my face under my jacket collar and wishing I'd brought a hat or something with me. My ears are freezing! "I halfway wonder if the drivers do it on purpose."

"Yeah. I know it's icy out, but didn't the city workers salt all the roads? And this isn't exactly a little side-street, even if it does see mostly foot traffic this time of day."

"Excuse me, sir," an older woman asks from where she stands by the bus stop sign. "Do you have a watch? How late is the bus?"

I pull out my watch and flip it open. "It's ten minutes late right now." The bus is supposed to run every fifteen minutes in the evening. There might be a wreck somewhere; there's no vehicle traffic right now at all.

"Thank you." She sighs and shakes her head, muttering something under her breath.

"So, should we start taking bets on whether the _next_ bus will be on time or not?" Vael asks darkly.

"Maybe we should."

Vael glances down the street. "No, wait; I think I see one." He's right; here comes one of the city buses.

The older woman says what sounds like "Finally," and steps up to the curb before starting to dig through her purse for something. Probably her bus pass.

I lean against the shelter and wait. Wait, what's that noise? A faint squalling and sliding and scraping... I turn to look down the street at the bus. The tires aren't moving -- the tires are locked! It's skidding on the ice! It hits a bump in the road and changes direction -- aiming right for the stop. Aiming right for _us._

For a split second, I lock eyes with the driver. He's terrified, frantically trying to steer the bus back onto the road.

And I move. "Vael, run!"

"What?" I hear him say, but I don't answer. The older woman can't see the bus; she doesn't seem to hear it either!

I slam into her, wrapping my arms around her and letting my momentum carry us away from the bus stop, turning in midair so I hit the ground first. And I hit hard.

The bus jumps the curb and slams into the bus stop sign and bends it out of shape, but the bus keeps going, crashing into the shelter with a loud crash. The shelter breaks, but the bus gets tangled in the mangled metal and stops.

For a second, all I can hear is screaming, screaming and that _slam_ echoing in my ears. I nearly got hit by a bus. I was leaning on that shelter just a few seconds ago, and now it's a pile of scrap.

The woman climbs shakily to her feet, assisted by several onlookers. Someone helps me stand.

I could be dead now, dead or seriously hurt.

"Oh, Goddesses..." the woman says, and then she turns around and hugs me tight. "Thank you so much! Thank you!"

What? Why is she thanking me? Realization hits me hard -- because I yanked her out of the path of the bus. I may have just saved her life.

Why are my knees shaking? I can barely stand...

"Link!" Vael yells; he's running towards me. That's right. When I told him to run, he ran the other way. That means... That means that for a few seconds, he didn't know if I was even still alive...

"I'm going to be sick," I say softly, simply because my throat's too tight to let me talk very loud.

"It's okay, Link; it's okay," he says, taking me by the shoulder and leading me over to a bench. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

"No, I'm okay. I'm just really shaken up."

He sits down next to me. "I can't believe you just did that."

"I can't either."

He pats my shoulder. I just sit there and try to catch my breath, trying to figure out why I did that. I could've just as easily run; I didn't have to get that woman out of harm's way. No, there's no point thinking about this, because I didn't think at the time. I just _did._

Farore, why did I do that?

The woman is on a nearby bench, unhurt but shaky; nearby, several witnesses are talking about how I yanked her out of the way. The crowd is getting bigger, and more and more people are looking over at me. No, I don't want all this attention.

"Vael, let's get out of here..."

He smiles and nods. "Okay. Come on. I'll find a phone and call your roommate."

I just nod, because my mind is focusing on the bus tangled up in the ruined shelter, and all I can think is that I could be in the middle of all that.

Vael says something else, but I can't hear him. I'm not even sure I'm following him anymore; someone has me by the arm and is leading me somewhere. I know that...

--

"What could have been a disaster has turned out to be a tale of hope," the woman on the news says. "Earlier this evening, a NORT bus hit a patch of black ice and was sent skidding out of control towards a bus stop and several people..."

"Turn that off, will you?" I snap, sipping at a mug of hot tea. It's been several hours and I'm still shaking.

"Hey, I want to hear," Mikau says. "I wasn't there."

The TV shows images of the bus and the mangled shelter. "...a young man pulled her safely out of the path of the bus. Because of his quick thinking, no one was injured."

The image changes to that of the woman I helped. "He just left before I could really thank him. I... I didn't realize how bad it was at first, but wherever you are, young man, thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"You heard right; it seems that once he knew that everyone was all right, the mysterious rescuer disappeared into the crowd." The newswoman smiles. "So rest easy tonight, Northcastle, because it seems that heroes do still exist..."

I can't have heard that right. "Did she just call me a hero?"

"Yeah, she did," Mikau replies. "C'mon, that's what you are! You jumped into harm's way to help someone. You know as well as I do that most people would either run away alone or just stood there screaming. That's what I would do. I would've just stood there screaming."

Vael laughs nervously. "That's what I did. I couldn't even move until he yelled at me to run. It was crazy. Well, at least everything is okay now. I'm still a little shook up, but I'm going to be all right. What about you, Link?"

I nod. "I just need some rest, that's all." And some time to let this sink in. I want to talk to Dark. When is he going to get back?

Mikau nods back and stands up. "I guess you probably need to get back to your place, huh, Vael?"

"Well, if it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all, man! I'll drive you home. Besides, whether you're up to riding the bus or not, it's late enough that they're not running now." He points at me. "And I need to go get his bike anyway."

"No, you don't," I try to protest, but Mikau just winks at me.

"You're in your usual spot, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Okay, then. I'll get your bike on the way back."

I lean back against the couch. "You don't have to do that, Mikau..."

"It's no problem, man! Just sit back and relax, and I'll be back in a little while."

No use arguing with him. Then again, I don't like the idea of leaving my Epona in the parking garage, especially since I'm not even sure if I'm going in tomorrow or not. I may just stay here. "All right, then. See you later, Vael."

"See you around, Link. Get some sleep, okay?"

And the door closes. The newswoman called me a hero... but I never really thought of myself like that before. Then again, this is my first time jumping in front of a skidding bus, too. I didn't even realize I had it in me to do that before now.

There's another story on now, one about how Riverside Park will be closed for the next several days while the city guard investigates something. The story is being painfully vague, and I have to wonder what happened out there. It's probably best not to ask, as it must be something bad. It's probably a crime scene of some kind.

I set the mug on the table and lay down, wrapping my blanket around me. I still can't believe I did that. Maybe... no, there's no maybe about it. I'm still not sure about whether or not I'm the Chosen Hero, but after this evening, I can't say that I'm not a hero anymore. Because I am.

"I'm really a hero," I say softly. That doesn't sound anywhere near as silly as I thought it would.

"You finally decide to admit it, do you?"

Dark's voice; I jump at the sound. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough." I can hear Dark moving around, kicking off his boots and taking off part of his clothing. "I leave you alone for one evening," he says, amused, "and you jump in front of a bus. I'm not sure if I should encourage or discourage that kind of behavior."

Both of those words have "courage" in them, my mind notes. "I'm not about to make a habit out of that."

"Good. I'd worry about you if you made a habit out of jumping in front of moving vehicles." He leans against the back of the couch; is he taking his jeans off?

"Are you stripping?"

"Hey, I can't very well wash my clothes while I'm still wearing them, now can I? And I know that if your roommate comes in here and sees me like this, he's not going to take it well." He laughs. "You're probably not going to take it well, either, so just stay on the couch, understand?"

I tighten the blanket around me. What is he talking about? "For starters, Mikau is your roommate, too. For another, what did you do that has you in such a hurry to get cleaned up? You aren't hurt, are you?"

"I'm not, no." He sounds pleased with himself. "Don't worry about it. Just give me a few minutes."

I sit up and look over at him. He's covered in something dark and rusty. It's splattered across his clothing, there's reddish mud and pink snow on his boots, his hair is sticking out at odd angles and has an odd brownish tint to it, and there's something half-dried and rusty-looking smeared across his face.

It's blood. He's covered in _blood._

"I thought I told you to just stay on the couch," he says, leaning in close. "I didn't think you'd want to see this."

"If you're not hurt, then whose blood is that?"

Dark grins broadly, baring his fangs; I shiver. "Let's just say that Ganon has a few less followers now."

Cultists. Is this... is this why Riverside Park is closed? "Murderer!"

"Murderer? I didn't kill anyone who didn't deserve it, Link." He kicks his jeans off and disappears into the utility room.

I want to follow him in there and confront him. I want answers. But I don't want to see him bloody -- it's just... Some part of my mind is remembering this, remembering how he fights, remembering the brutally efficient way he mows through his enemies... I fall back onto the couch and wrap the blanket tighter around me. This is... This is _wrong,_ even though something in my head is telling me that this is just the way he is.

I hear running water, and then it stops. One door closes. Another opens. I stare at the TV, but I'm not paying it any attention. Dark walks back into the living room and leans against the back of the couch. I risk a glance at him; he's washing the blood off his face.

"How many?" I ask, because I have to know.

"Ten," he says simply. "All of them cultists."

I swallow hard. "You murdered ten people..."

"No, I killed ten people trying to revive Ganon. Unless you'd prefer I let them run free and safe until they can complete their plans and bring Ganon back? I guess if you really want to fight Pigman that badly, I can let them..."

"That's not what I mean, Dark! Cultists or not, they were people with families and friends! They weren't monsters!"

He looks down at me, his red eyes seeming to pierce right through me. "Just because someone looks normal outside doesn't mean that there's not a monster lurking underneath. And I don't care what they have; if they serve Pigman, they deserve to die_._ That's it. They don't deserve to live, not after what their great king has done..."

"Dark?" I stand up. He sounds so sad and tired and seething.

"You may not remember any of this, and I'm not going to force you to, but know this, Link. Because of Ganon, I've lost a lot of things that were important to me over my lives, and you lost even more. You may be able to forget, but I will _never_ forgive." He grabs my shoulders. "I don't care how heartless it makes me sound, but I will make them pay. As long as someone sees that pig bastard as worthy of worship, I will find someone worth hacking to pieces. I will get our revenge, Link. I will. And you can't stop me."

"But -- you --" I start to say, but I can't find the words. With as many monsters as I've killed over my lifetimes, do I have any right to talk? No, I've never killed people --

"_One of you is going to tell me where that bitch of a princess is, right now! If you refuse, I will still find her... but I can't guarantee your town will still be standing when I do!"_

-- I _have_. What? Why? I'm supposed to be... My knees give out; Dark catches me before I hit the ground. I smell blood, fresh blood, and burning wood. That -- that isn't me! It can't be me!

I wouldn't remember it if that was someone else. What right do I have to call Dark a murderer...? Ten cultists are nothing compared to an entire village.

"Don't worry, Link. You're the hero; I'm your shadow. I'm the one with bloody hands, not you." His voice is soft and comforting, but...

That doesn't chase away the memory. "I destroyed an entire village..."

"No, you didn't." He helps me stand.

"Yes, I did!"

He slaps me hard. "No, you didn't, Thrice damn it! That son of a bitch wasn't you -- he was nothing like you!" I stagger back and almost fall again, but he grabs me and pulls me against him, holding me tight. I just lean against him; the world's spinning. I close my eyes and just breathe while the world slows down and stops.

And then I have to ask "What was that for?"

"You're Link Masters," he says finally, his voice soft and rough, one hand reaching up to stroke my hair. "You're not a traitor."

"Then why do I remember this?"

He shakes me gently -- although my head still throbs when he does -- and then tightens his grip. "That happened a long time ago, when you were someone else. He was a traitor. You're the one who stayed in harm's way to rescue someone earlier."

That's right. "So, I'm..."

"Part of you, yes. Part of you is a traitor. Most of you, however, is a hero. It's up to you what you are, but," he laughs, "I think you've already made up your mind."

Have I? Why do I even have to ask? Of course I have. I want to help people, not hurt them. Is that what Dark is doing, in his own strange, violent way?

"I just wish I was there."

I shift in his arms and open my eyes so I can look at him. "What do you mean?"

"When you played hero earlier. I wish I could have seen that." He grins; there's something about the way he's looking at me, like he's looking at a long-lost friend or more.

"You could've if you hadn't been off killing cultists," I say, looking away. To be honest, I'm glad he wasn't there. I don't care if he wants to see it or not; I don't want him to.

His fingers trace the curve of my jaw. "There will be other chances, I'm sure."

I should pull away, shouldn't I? I don't know... All I know is that I like the way it feels. A tiny part of my mind is still nagging me that this isn't right -- but then none of this is _right._ It's all crazy, but this is apparently the way things are now. I'm just going to have to come to terms with all of this.

"If you're so sure..." I clear my throat. "Mikau should be back soon, so if there's anything else you need to do to clean up, you might want to do it."

"I'm good." Dark grins. "But there is one thing I need to do..." And he kisses me.

I don't know what to do; my mind is screaming a dozen things at once. Push him away. Hold him. He's a murderer. He's me; this is wrong! Mikau could walk through that door any minute now. This... I think I like this. My head doesn't seem to hurt as much now.

He pulls back with a broad smirk. "You're so cute when you're confused."

I'm cute? He... thinks I'm cute? He just kissed me. I -- I -- I've been kissed before. I've even been kissed by a guy before, even if he and I both refuse to talk about it now. But there's something about the way Dark kisses... something I almost _need _about it. About him? I don't get it.

Then again, if I'm the reincarnated hero... then I'm Dark's reincarnated lover. Is this why he wants me to remember? Is he trying to get his lover back? Or is he just trying to let me know what happened before?

I guess what I really want to know is whether he is in love with me or with his memories. No matter what I am or how heroic I can possibly be, I'm not any of the men he's known before. I can't be. They're all dead and gone, existing only in his memories and sleeping inside my head, somehow. I don't want to be a stand-in for his ghost!

"What's wrong?" he asks, reaching up and stroking my hair again.

I have to know. "Are you talking to me, or are you asking your ghost?"

Hurt flickers in his eyes for a brief instant, and then it's replaced by an odd calm that's covering something else I can't quite identify. "You're the one here, aren't you? Who else would I be talking to?"

"As often as you seem to be talking to your ghost, can you blame me for asking?"

Dark narrows his eyes and yanks me against him again in a motion so fast I can't even try to stop him; I close my eyes as the world spins again. "Let me put this in terms you can understand. I'm talking to the Link who pulled someone out of the path of a bus. If that's not you, then no; I'm not talking to you."

Me. He's talking to _me_. "And which one did you just kiss?"

"You tell me," he says, and then he kisses me again.

As good as this feels, this doesn't answer my question! I grit my teeth and shove him away, closing my eyes so I can't see the room turning upside down. "No. Answer the question."

"Getting rough, are we?" Dark says with a small laugh. "Why should I? You should know." He leans in, leans down, and nips at the side of my neck. I suck in a quick breath; he laughs again, his breath tickling across my skin.

I don't want him to stop, but do I dare let him continue?

Footsteps race up the stairs -- Mikau's back! I shove him off of me. "Stop!"

Dark just grins. "I'll see you in a little while, Link," he says, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door.

Do I want to? I can always just lock myself in my room; he doesn't have a key. Or does he? He has my bike, he has my keybadge, he even has my face. Somehow I don't think a locked door is much of a barrier to him.

Farore, I need painkillers now. I grab a couple and take them before going back to the couch. I sit down as the front door opens and Mikau walks in, banging the snow off his boots.

"Man, traffic's a mess! Just so you know, Link, even though I doubt you'll be going in tomorrow: it's raining again. The main roads aren't too bad now, but I'm sure tomorrow morning there's going to be ice everywhere. I wish it would just go ahead and get cold enough to stick to snow; I'm already sick of ice," he says, setting his boots by the door and flopping into his chair.

"Yeah, I'm sick of ice, too," I say softly.

The shower turns on.

Mikau looks over at the closed bathroom door. "Huh? Who's in there?"

"Dark came back a few minutes ago; he's taking a shower."

"He did? I don't remember seeing his bike outside." He shakes his head. "Ah well, I didn't really check, since I know yours is in my truck. Didn't feel like unloading it in the rain."

"I can't blame you." Freezing rain. Kakariko doesn't really get much of that. Kakariko gets a lot more snow.

Mikau looks at the bathroom door again. "Your cousin had better not use up all the hot water. I need to take a shower, too."

I shrug. I don't think he'll be in there very long; he had most of the blood off before we started -- no, I'm not going to finish that thought, because thinking about him touching me is...

I clear my throat. "I think I'm going to go try to get some sleep."

Mikau nods. "'Kay. You decided if you're going in tomorrow or not?"

"I'll have to see if I feel up to it in the morning. Why?"

"No reason. I was just wondering. I've got tomorrow off, so we're going to get together and practice. Not sure where, though. Lu's going to call me, so I guess I'll apologize in advance if the 'phone wakes you up."

I smile. "It's not a problem, Mikau. I might not even hear it." That's the truth; when I'm tired, I've got a penchant for sleeping through almost anything, except for maybe Japas yowling. And I've even done that before.

The shower stops. I look over at the door and swallow hard. "See you tomorrow, Mikau."

"Yeah, see you."

I walk into my room and close the door, flipping the lock. I want to sleep, but I'm not really tired. I shake my head a little and sigh; I can always try to clean the Master Sword. That will give me something to do. Not that it's likely to work, I think darkly, but it's worth a try. And it's something I don't have to focus too hard on; those painkillers need to hurry up and kick in.

The Master Sword sits on my desk like always, the dirt and corrosion casting strange shadows across its surface. I turn on the lamp; the hilt and the part of the blade next to it gleam brightly in the light.

How does a corroded old sword _gleam_?

That part isn't corroded anymore; somehow, the hilt and part of the base of the blade are clean and new, the metal smooth, the leather new, the blade sharp. The cleaned area is like an entirely different sword, one that chases away the last vestiges of doubt that this could be anything other than the holy blade of evil's bane.

But how is it clean, and why is it only part of the blade? It isn't even the part I've been working at -- all my work is up near the tip, not down at the hilt! It sounds crazy, but it's almost as if the blade has somehow cleaned itself...

"Is it waking up?" I ask, softly. The sword doesn't answer, and I can't. This is incredible! The cleaned portion of blade gleams brillantly, reflecting any tiny amount of light that strikes its surface. At the edge of the cleaned portion, some kind of engraving disappears under the corrosion -- I wish I could see it. The hilt and blade are both made of silver metal, but both have a strange, almost otherworldly blue tint to them, the hilt moreso than the blade. I've never seen this kind of metal tinting before...

There's a soft click behind me, and then the door opens and closes, but I barely hear any of it. I'm too busy staring at the beauty before me.

I reach out and touch the hilt; the green leather strip wrapped around it is firm to the touch but has a bit of give to it. It's most likely there to improve its wielder's grip. It feels strangely comforting in my hand.

Soft footsteps on the floor as someone walks up to stand just behind me. "Link..."

"Look at it, Dark. The Master Sword cleaned itself..."

He puts his hands on my shoulders. "So I see."

"Does this mean it's waking up?"

"Something is making it wake up, although I'm not sure what."

I look back at him. "What do you mean?"

He shakes his head. "Usually it wakes up entirely at once, not in pieces, and in response to the presence of evil. I'm not exactly sure why it's doing this." He smirks. He knows; he's just not going to tell me. "It's an encouraging sign, isn't it? Now you don't have to worry so much about doing battle with a corroded old sword. Still think it's going to break?"

"No, I don't." I'm not certain if this blade _could_ break; it's... Granted, Garrimed is more focused on weapons than I am, but I've seen numerous swords, and I've never seen anything even half as exceptionally made as the Master Sword. Is this even the work of mortals?

Dark wraps his arms around my waist and puts his head on my shoulder. "Good. The hero deserves a hero's sword."

Wait! Is that it? Is the Master Sword responding to what I did earlier tonight? Or is it responding to the fact that I accept being called a hero now? I turn back to the Master Sword and reach down to wrap my hand around the hilt. Is that it?

I pick the sword up; the contrast between the gleaming clean portion and the corroded, dirty portion is incredible. It looks almost like I'm holding a weapon made of two, one old, one new.

Dark reaches up and wraps his hand around my hand and the hilt. "It's a beautiful sword, see? It will be even more incredible when it fully awakens. You'll see." He nips at my ear. "Now we need to be more cautious. I'm sure the cult is planning something."

Even with Dark's body warm against mine, I shiver. "And Vaati's vase may still go on display."

He laughs. "And now the Master Sword is starting to wake up. All signs are starting to point to trouble. It's getting closer now. Are you afraid?"

"I... I don't know. I'm just confused. I don't know what to do."

"For now, all we can do is watch and wait. Someone will make a move soon."

I scowl. "I don't like the idea of reacting."

"Until we know who the true threat is, Link, that's all we can do."

"I thought you've been following the cult!"

"I have been, but I haven't found any of the people in charge yet. A few lackeys are worthless in the long run; they know nothing. One of them mentioned a man they call Prince. He seems to be high in the organization. And it seems that this Prince is "making progress" in his search for the hero. We need to be careful."

I don't like the sound of that. "Do you think they'll try to attack me?"

Dark laughs softly. "No one knows who you are, Link. So even if they are trying to find and stop the Chosen Hero, they have no idea who they're looking for. I wouldn't recommend running around with the Master Sword just yet."

I nod. "I don't want anyone to see the sword anyway. There's no way I can explain how I found it."

He nips at my neck and then starts kissing a line down to my shoulder. He reaches up and start unbuttoning my shirt.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" he whispers. He has my shirt completely open now.

"Stop, please," I say, closing my eyes. I don't know if I want this or not!

"Why should I?" He keeps nipping at me, his hand sliding down my chest.

I take a deep breath and pull away, slamming the Master Sword down on top of my desk. "No! I'm -- things are crazy enough already without... you... Please, just give me time..."

"How much time do you need, Link? If it's one thing that we never have enough of, it's time..." He sighs and sits down on the bed.

I turn off the lamp and turn around. Dark sits slumped over, staring down at the floor; he looks defeated.

"I just don't know what to think about any of this, Dark. I mean, even if I ignore everything that's happened lately, you're... you're practically me."

"Am I?" He raises his head to look at me. "I'm not you. I'm based on you, yes, but I'm not you. You're Link; I'm Dark Link. Now, do you hate me or not? Just tell me. I'm tired of having to just sit around and wait while you get your damned head together!"

"I can't make a decision without considering all the options!"

He narrows his eyes. "This isn't your research, Thrice damn it! This is us! Every time, this happens. You can't just make a decision; you have to take your time. If it's one thing I've learned, it's that there's no guarantee we _have _time! I don't care how you feel towards me; I just need to know."

"I..." What am I supposed to say? I'm staring across a chasm I can never cross at a being I can never truly understand; I've known this almost since I met him, but now... now it's painfully obvious. What is new to me isn't to him.

And I find my voice. "Why bother? If you don't like having to deal with me, why? You don't have to track me down, do you?"

"No." Dark shakes his head and sighs. "There isn't anything forcing me to track you down."

"Then why do it?"

He looks at me, his eyes locked with mine. His eyes hold a maelstrom of emotions -- love, hate, hurt, joy, and many others I can't tell apart. It hurts to see that. My throat gets tight.

He opens his mouth as if to speak, but then he closes it and shakes his head again. "I can't explain it, Link. I need to find you. I need to see you."

There seems to be an unspoken _I need you_ in that, my mind decides. I fall back against my desk, my head pounding. "I don't... I'm just..."

"Link, I'm going to ask you some questions. Answer each yes or no. Got it? Yes or no."

I nod and sit down in the chair.

"Good." Dark closes his eyes. "Are you afraid of me?"

That isn't a yes or no question. "A little, yes."

"Do you hate me?"

"No."

He smiles at that, standing up. "Do you want me to leave?"

I swallow hard. "No."

"Do you trust me?"

Truthfully? No matter how much he confuses me, or how crazy things get, I have to admit... I take a slow, deep breath and force it out, "Yes, I do."

For a moment, he doesn't say or do anything; he just stands there, staring at me. Did I say something wrong?

"Truly?" he asks. He's pressing me, isn't he?

"Yes." Part of me wishes I could say I'm lying, but I'm not; I do trust him, and I don't even know why.

He walks over to my chair, smiling. He looks so _hopeful_, so trusting, that I can barely look at him. "Do you want me to stay?"

Hasn't he already asked me this? "Yes."

He leans in close; I force myself to take a slow breath. "Do you consider me a friend?"

"Yes."

"Do you like it when I kiss you?"

Why is he asking me all of this? I nod; I don't trust my voice anymore.

Dark laughs softly. "Do you love me?"

"I... I don't know."

He's staring at me still, as if he's trying to peer into my soul or something, or maybe he's searching for an answer. "You don't know?"

"No, I don't."

He nods and walks back over to sit on the bed. "Are you afraid of dying?"

"Yes." I close my eyes.

"Are you afraid to fight?"

Not a yes or no question. "I am, but if it comes down to it, I'll fight."

Dark nods again. "Are you afraid to live?"

What -- what kind of a question is that? "What are you talking about?"

"Are you afraid to live, Link?"

What...? "No. No, I'm not!" Where is he going with this?

I feel his hand on my shoulder; he's giving me a massage. "Does this make you feel better?"

"Yes." I'm almost ashamed to admit that; it's not so much the fact that he's rubbing my shoulders -- it's more the fact that _he's_ doing it. I don't know what this feeling is, but I want him to stay. I need this.

He leans in close, whispering in my ear. "Do you need me?"

It hurts, but I make myself say it. "Yes."

And then his arms are around me and his face is buried in my shoulder and he's saying something very soft and very ancient that I can't understand. "I'm done," he says, louder, sounding perfectly content and at ease. "Thank you."

I guess I answered all his questions. I don't see how, but then again, maybe he's looking for different answers than I think he is. He does seem to know a lot I don't, after all.

"I should get some sleep," I say. I'm still not really tired, but I'm drained. Sleep or not, I just want to curl up in bed and stay there for a while. Today just keeps getting stranger and stranger, and I'm not even sure how I should be reacting anymore.

He moves, and I take the chance to take off my shirt and fall onto my bed. It's a little cold in here, but not too much. At least I've got my blankets, I think, curling up and trying to make myself comfortable. My head isn't hurting much anymore, but I'm more confused than ever. At this rate, I'm not going to work tomorrow. After all of this, I need time to myself so I can try to make some sense out of everything.

The bed moves slightly, and my blankets shift a bit. Dark makes himself comfortable beside me.

"What are you doing?"

"What's it look like? Besides, you look like you need the company." He grins.

He has a point. I'm not in this alone; that's a comforting thought.

"What about Mikau?"

"What about him?"

I sigh. "What about when he sees that you aren't in your room?"

"My door's shut. Your door's shut. Besides, most likely, he'll get up and tend to his cat, and then his girlfriend will call and he'll leave. He doesn't exactly make a habit out of coming in your room while you're sleeping, now does he?"

No, I think. That's what Dark does. Except tonight Dark is already here.

"Besides, we've slept together before."

"Don't say it like that!" I hiss, trying not to think about the memories that calls up. "We're just sharing a bed."

He smirks. "And we've done this how many times before without you acting so skittish?"

I give up. "Good night, Dark."

"Night, Link. Sleep well."

--

For the first time in a long time, I don't wake up to the sound of the cat yowling or car horns out in the parking lot or the phone ringing or the door slamming or even the sound of my clock chiming. I wake up to the sound of humming coming from nearby. It isn't very loud, but it's there.

I'm not even really sure that it wakes me up, but it's the first thing I hear when I open my eyes. Dark is sitting beside the bed, cleaning something. I roll over onto that side of the bed, thanking the goddesses I'm only a little sore, and see light gleam off a mirror. Oh, he's polishing his shield. His sword sits on the floor beside him, its blade glinting dully in the light coming in the window.

He turns towards me. "Morning."

"Morning," I reply, moving the pillow over so I can be comfortable but still able to watch him. He moves with practiced ease and speed, cleaning the dark smears off the shield's otherwise shining surface. The shield seems... quieter than it was last time I saw it.

"Did you do something to your shield?" I ask, realizing too late that I say it aloud.

Dark chuckles. "What do you mean?"

"It's not humming as loud."

He nods. "That's how it should be. This shield doesn't just reflect. It can absorb and release energy on its wielder's command. It had a lot of sunlight stored in it before, but last night I had it release most of it in one flash, blinding my opponents. Right now, it doesn't have much stored in it, so all that's really there is the latent magic of the shield."

"Oh." That's an interesting trick. Does that work for magic, too? Probably.

"I should've done this last night," he says softly, as if to himself. "Ah, well. It was worth the distraction."

For a few minutes, neither of us speaks. I watch him clean all of the dirt off his shield.

Finally, he turns to me. "Link, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"The news mentioned Winter Night this morning. It's been so long since I went to that... I'm not even sure how it works anymore." He laughs nervously. "Could we go?"

He wants to go to the Winter Night carnival? That seems oddly normal for him, but I'm already going, so it's not like it's a problem or anything. "Yeah, we can go."

Dark grins. "It's been a while since I've been to a festival."

"Why haven't you gone? There's one every year."

"True, but... I don't like going alone. I guess I'm just too used to going with someone to be able to go it by myself."

I reach out and put a hand on his shoulder; he turns to me in surprise, and then he smiles warmly. "I think I understand, Dark. I don't really like going by myself either. That's why I go with friends."

He puts a hand on mine and nods, and I feel a lot better now. Even after everything Dark said last night, after that stunt I did yesterday evening, I feel a lot better.

I know everything's going to work out.


	7. Winter Night

_Author's notes: Thanks for being patient with me, everyone. I'm sorry that this has taken so long. _

* * *

**Winter Night**

"Yo, Link! The gates open in less than a hour!"

"Hold your horses, Mikau; I'm almost ready!" I glare at my reflection. I _had_ a neat ponytail, but just turning my head to yell to Mikau was enough to pull the shorter hair around my face out of it. Fine, fine, whatever, I think. It can just stay like this: the shoulder length part of my hair in a ponytail, and the chin-length hair around my face hanging free.

It's not any different from how I normally wear it, but I don't have time to fight with it now. I've got to get this tunic tied on if I'm _ever _getting out of the house. I look down at the strings hanging loose and sigh. Considering that I wear this to the carnival _every year_, I should have the hang of this, but no. I only wear it to Winter Night and Midsummer; twice a year isn't enough practice for this.

"This is what I get for wanting to look old-fashioned," I mutter, working one string through one of the holes.

Dark snickers; right, he's in here, too. I turn towards him and raise an eyebrow. He's wearing what looks like an older style knight's uniform, although his coat has the strangest crest on it. Instead of the brilliant red Phoenix and Triforce, his coat has the jet black silhouette of a sword. No, not just any sword -- it's the Master Sword.

"Where'd you get that?"

He grins. "It's mine."

"You've been a knight?"

"Yes, I have." He sounds incredibly proud of that fact. "What, don't you believe me?"

"It's not that. It's just..." I shake my head. "It's just weird seeing you in something so formal."

He laughs. "Hey, just because I don't wear this all the time doesn't mean I can't do it right when I have a reason to. Need some help with that?"

"Like you can help..."

"You're not paying attention again, are you?" He waves his hands down at his sides. Both sides of his surcoat are laced up. The collar of his surcoat and the tunic underneath are both neatly laced and tied, as is the high collar of the shirt underneath_ that_. Those are a _lot_ of laces.

"How did you do that?"

He snickers and walks over, taking the strings on my tunic and easily, quickly lacing up the collar and tying the ends together. "I've had a lot of time to practice. There, done. You know, I didn't think I'd ever see you wearing something like this. I'm not complaining."

I look down at my green tunic and brown pants. "Why not? It's not that weird, is it?"

Dark grins. "Considering the way you insist that you can't be the Chosen Hero, it's just a surprise to see you dressed like him."

"Well... it's almost a joke. As much time as I spend researching the legends, it just seems kind of fitting." I glance down at my clothing again. It was originally Shad's idea that I dress up like Ganon's Slayer. That was what... four or five years ago now? Of course, considering everything happening _this _year, it is a bit strange to be wearing this.

Though in some ways, I guess it's fitting. I've already followed in his footsteps and claimed his sword.

"Not saying you have to change, just saying it's a bit surprising. Now, I'm ready. How about you?"

I head towards the living room. "Almost. Vael has my paint."

Mikau is sitting on a towel in his chair, dressed up like a Zola -- he got the idea from an old drawing in one of my books; the same book claims that once the Zolas were the allies of the people of Hyrule. Whether that's true or not, it's definitely amusing to see my roommate painted blue.

Vael's on the couch, trying to put on facepaint without getting tangled up in the long cloak he's wearing. I'm not quite sure what he's dressed as, but he's wearing purple and his costume is long, loose, and flowing. I think I've seen this before, somewhere...

"You know, Vael, you can take that off and hang it up somewhere," I say, reaching for the little palette of red, green, and blue. "It'd probably look better if you didn't keep sitting on it, too." I put a dot of each color under each eye.

"Well, I like my cloak. It's warm. It just makes it doing this a little tricky."

I start to hand the paint to Dark; he's standing beside me and giving Vael a really odd look, like he sees something he doesn't quite like.

"What?"

"Nothing," is all he says, taking the paint from me and putting it on. "If I can ask, where'd you get the idea for your costume, Vael?"

Vael looks up and blinks in confusion. "I, well... I just found an old sketch in an art book somewhere. It makes me look like a mage, doesn't it?" It's a little weird; the dark purple of his cloak makes his pale skin look ever-so-faintly purple. It must just be a trick of the light.

"Yeah, you certainly look like a mage..." Dark says; there's something in his tone -- he's seen this before.

"I'll have to see if I can find it again." Vael laughs, but he sounds nervous. "We look like something out of a mythology book, don't we?"

"We sure do!" Mikau says. "How much do you wanna bet I can win the costume contest with this?"

"Maybe," I say with a shrug, taking the paint from Dark and setting it down.

"You entering the contest, Link?"

"Not this year, no." I'm not that comfortable getting up on stage anyway, but especially not in this. This feels oddly _normal_; I don't feel like I'm in a costume.

Mikau shakes his head. "Your loss. Wonder if Lu's really going as a mermaid? We could compete as a couple."

Vael sighs. "You and your contests."

"Hey! They're fun! You should compete, Vael; win or lose, it's a lot of fun."

"No, that's all right. I think I'll just watch. I'd rather not be the center of attention anyway."

"Whatever, whatever. Fine. What about you, Dark? Feel like competing?"

Dark tenses slightly; I think I'm the only one who notices. "I think I'll pass this time."

"C'mon! A costume that intricate and you're not even getting up on stage? Damn, am I the only one who knows how to have fun?" Mikau grins and looks at each of us. "Fine, then! I'll show all of you how fun contests can be. You'll see!"

"I still think I prefer to watch," Vael replies.

"Spoilsports, all of ya." Mikau glances at the clock. "Now, if everyone's ready, let's go! At this rate, the gates will already be open when we get there!"

We head out; the carnival's close enough to walk, so we do.

"Why don't you want to compete?" I ask Dark quietly, because I'm curious. He's outgoing enough to jump onto the stage and enjoy himself, so...

"I'm not in a costume," he replies. "This is my old uniform."

"Then why wear it?"

He smiles. "Because it's old. Winter Night is the time to remember the past and celebrate the light, right? That's what I'm doing." He looks over at me with that faraway look; is he talking to me, or to one of his ghosts?

Does it really matter? I ask myself. Today is Winter Night. I'm not going to worry about heroes and evil vases and sacred blades and crazy cults; I'm just going to enjoy the carnival.

"So," Mikau says ahead of us, "we need to decide on a theme. Are you a good mage or a bad mage, Vael?"

Vael makes a sound like he's choking. "Er, well..." he stammers, "I think I'm a good mage. Unless the hero thinks I'm evil?" He glances back at Dark and me.

I shrug. "I think that's up to you, ultimately. There are good mages and evil mages, although the evil ones get mentioned in the legends more often."

Vael looks off into the distance for a moment. Then he says, with an odd edge in his voice I've never heard before. "I'm going to be an evil mage today, I think." He turns to Mikau. "I'm going to burn all the water away..."

"_What_?" Mikau snaps, stepping away from Vael and almost tripping himself.

"I'm just kidding! I'm a good mage. I'm here to help the hero find the magical artifact that will destroy the evil king and bring peace back to Hyrule," Vael says, a little too quickly.

He's really getting into his costume. He sounded pretty creepy for a minute there, but seeing Mikau jump like that was hilarious.

"Okay, fine," Mikau's saying, seemingly unfazed. "We've got the hero and the good mage and _I'm_ the proud Zola warrior who helps the hero save the land. What about you, Dark?"

Dark pulls himself up a little taller, and when he answers, his voice is clear and strong -- and cocky. "I'm a stalward defender of the princess and her kingdom, obviously. It is my sacred duty to keep the Princess of Hyrule safe from the evil monsters that wish her harm."

"Sir Dark," I say with a grin.

"Damn right!" he replies, smirking. "Sir Dark of Hyrule."

"C'mon, guys, are you _sure_ you don't want to enter the contest with me?"

"Yeah," Vael says. "We'll cheer you on from the audience. Besides, if we get up there with you, people might not be so quick to notice the proud and mighty Zola warrior."

Mikau seems to ponder that, and I swear he puffs his chest out. "True. And I _am_ a proud and mighty warrior. Much as I like to share the spotlight with my fellows heroes, I have to admit that I am worthy of praise for my actions."

Dark laughs. "Mikau the Zolan warrior: proud, mighty, full of himself."

"I'm not full of myself! I'm just not afraid to admit it!"

It doesn't take long to reach the carnival gates; they're already open, and a steady stream of people is making its way through them. Beyond is the carnival, booths and games and exhibits all covered in strings of lights and a thin layer of snow. Everything seems to be glowing. It's beautiful.

Not quite as beautiful as the carnival in Kakariko City, but then again, Northcastle just can't compare to the sight of the canyon covered in snow and rows and rows and rows of lights, rock reaching up to the sky on both sides as if cradling the city itself... I sigh. I guess I miss Kakariko more than I thought I did. Maybe I can head back there for a few days after the Gala; things should be calmer then.

"The light in the darkness, hmm?" Dark says softly. He's staring towards the carnival grounds, looking thoughtful.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. I just think it's amusing how often people celebrate light and how rarely anyone celebrates darkness."

"Well," I shrug, "a lot of people associate darkness with evil."

He grins. "I know. And they associate light with good. It's amusing how people oversimplify everything they can."

"It's symbolism, Dark. It tends to be simple."

He doesn't say anything.

The morning passes quickly in a blur of games and sights. Mikau is enjoying himself a lot, maybe even a bit too much, taking every opportunity he gets to show off his costume. I think he lives off attention sometimes. Vael isn't nearly as out there as Mikau -- at one point, he looks more like he's stalking us than walking around with us -- but he seems to be having fun, too.

Dark follows us around, but he's being strangely quiet. Is something bothering him?

It isn't until we stop at the fountain to sit down for a little while that I figure it out. There's that strange, faraway look in his eyes again; he's lost in a fog of memories, isn't he? I wonder what it is that he's seeing.

"Man, what should we do with this thing?" Mikau asks, looking down at the thing in his hands.

It's the single ugliest stuffed bear I have ever seen. That isn't nearly as much of an exaggeration as I wish it was. I don't know where he got it; he wandered off and then bounced back up bragging about winning it. Apparently it isn't such a prize anymore.

"We can always give it to Japas as a chew toy," I say.

Mikau looks at the bear and scowls. "And I thought Vael was being silly when he picked that Keese... Man, I wish I'd gotten one of those."

"Keese?"

"Yes, a Keese," Vael replies, holding up a small stuffed black Keese with googly red eyes and a little fanged smile. It looks disturbingly cute. "It was the only thing they had that I liked."

I lean back and shake my head. "And what are you going to do with that?"

"I haven't decided yet." Vael holds the Keese up and moves it like it's flying. "I may put it on my desk at work, just to have something that isn't being used or studied on it. My desk is starting to feel too much like a museum." He laughs nervously. "That doesn't sound too silly, does it?"

"I don't think so. What do you think, Dark?"

"Huh?" Dark turns towards us and scowls at the Keese, looking oddly annoyed for a moment. "Why do you have that?"

"Because I won it. It seems that Mikau and I are the only two who have actually won anything today."

Dark smirks. "I'll win something soon enough, so don't worry about me."

Mikau looks around. "Hey, anyone know what time it is?"

"Forget your watch again?" I have to ask; I pull my watch out and flip it open. "Almost midday."

"Damn, I need to get going. I need to get over there in time to sign up for the contest. I'm totally winning this year; just watch!"

Vael looks down at the bear. "If this prize is any indication, this should be amusing, to say the least."

Dark picks up the bear. "Hey, I could use this for target practice!"

"Feel free. I've got to do something with it, because there is _no possible way_ that thing is comin' on stage with me. I'm supposed to be a proud Zola warrior, not some... some..." Mikau waves a hand in the air. "You know..."

"Proud Zola warrior with an ugly bear?"

"Not quite what I was goin' for, but it works! Now, if you will excuse me, I am off to make myself a date with destiny!"

I watch him prance off. "So... what _are_ we doing with that bear?"

Dark holds the bear out towards us. "Sic your Keese on it, mage! It must be an evil bear!"

"Well..." Vael looks down at the Keese in his hands and then grins. "No, my Keese doesn't want to attack the bear." He stands up. "So... what are we going to do while Mikau's registering?"

Dark sets the bear on the edge of the fountain. "I heard someone mention an archery contest this afternoon."

"I think I'll pass on that. I'm no archer."

"I know. But Link is. C'mon, Link, give it a try. I'm thinking of entering the swordsman's contest."

I shrug. "I don't know..."

xXx

The prize for the archery contest is a gorgeous new composite bow. It's a much better bow than my broken one, as well as a much better bow than I can afford.

I can hear swords clashing from the other field; the swordsman's contest has started. I look in that direction and sigh. Dark's over there. It seems a bit unfair on his part; given how long he's had to refine his skill, I don't think there's a man alive who has a fighting chance against him.

I shake my head when I hear my name. I don't have time to worry about how fair or unfair Dark is; I need to focus on this.

So I do. The first several rounds are easy enough, but it doesn't take long to whittle the field down to the more experienced archers and me. The targets are moving farther from the line, the bull's-eyes getting smaller. I try not to dwell on how strange it is that I haven't been eliminated yet and instead work on doing the best I can.

I'm just waiting to get eliminated -- several of the other competitors look like guards, and there's at least one knight; what is my skill compared to theirs? -- but I'm still here.

I make it to the final round. There are three of us now: a high ranking member of the Northcastle City Guard, a knight, and me.

Meanwhile, a loud cheer rises from the next field; is the swordman's contest over? I wonder how Dark did...

I shake my head. I'll know soon enough.

The judge is explaining the rules again, but I'm only half-listening to him. The targets are now all the way across the arena from us, marked only by small circles about the same size as my watch when it's closed. Each of us gets one arrow. The one closest to the target wins.

I go last, of course. I watch as the guard and then the knight ready and then fire their arrows; they both strike the circle near the center. I'm not sure which is closer.

And then the judge calls my name, and I don't have time to worry which of them wins. I take the arrow and nock it, staring down the shaft at the center of the target. Just one more shot, I tell myself. I only have to take one more shot, and then this will all be over. I step out of the flow of time with that thought; the world is merely a taut string and a target.

Strange, I'm not even sure what I'm shooting at anymore. The target seems to shift and change -- a man in black, a massive pig-monster, some kind of enchanted machine, a floating pair of hands, a gem blazing on a monster's head. My arrow shifts as well: now it's on fire, now it's wreathed in ice, now it's glowing with holy light, now it's made of purest silver --

I fire.

The beasts scream as the arrow punches into them; the machine makes a noise like gears jamming. I lower my bow and stare at them all as they crash to the ground and catch fire and start to freeze and burn in the light. That's it. The battle's over now.

"The winner is... Link Masters!"

I blink at the sound of my name, shaking off the memories. I can't have heard that right... could I?

"In honor of your display of skill, Mr. Masters, I present you this in the name of peace. May it serve you well." The judge nods and then hands me the prize. He hands me my new bow.

"I'm sure it will," I hear myself say, holding the bow up and pulling the string back just a little. The pull feels right, the weight good; it's like a much better and undamaged version of my old bow. I need to get some cloth and wrap the grip though. I like the feel of the cloth better than any grip I've come across, including this one, though I've never figured out why.

I'll do that when I get home, I decide, before taking the case the judge holds out and putting the bow into it.

"You just got lucky, kid," the guard says, looking annoyed.

The knight, on the other hand, smiles. "You're quite skilled."

"So are you," I reply. That isn't a lie; they both are. I'm surprised I was able to beat them... but then again, I'm not sure that I was the one who fired that arrow, really.

Weird; I still don't really feel like myself. I shake my head, but it doesn't help.

"Yeah, I should've won," the guard says.

"Apparently not, seeing as you _didn't_." That's Dark's voice. "Maybe you should start practicing for next year."

The guard mumbles something I can't make out and wanders off.

"Tch," Dark mutters as he stops beside me. "There's always a sore loser." I look at him; he has a sword slung across his back now, and he's wearing a pitch black cloak that I _know_ he didn't have earlier.

"Where'd you get that?" I ask.

"I won it." He smirks.

"I figured as much," I say softly. "I still don't think that's very fair."

He laughs, leaning in. "Neither were you, y'know."

He's right, I think. Oddly enough, I don't really feel guilty about that. Shouldn't I? It isn't fair to compete with people who don't have all that experience, but... I've earned my skill, haven't I?

I think I'm confusing myself.

"Are we going to stand around here all day?" Dark asks.

"No. Do you know where the others are?"

He grabs me by the arm and starts walking back towards the carnival proper. "I haven't seen Mikau, but Vael's waiting at the gate. He's been watching you."

Vael is standing next to the gate, his cape and hair dancing in the breeze. He waves his Keese at us as we walk up.

"Congratulations, Link. I had a feeling that you would win."

"Er, thanks.." I strap my new case to my back.

Something lands on my head, something soft. I reach up and pick up the stuffed Keese. "Hello, little Keese." Another something soft lands on my shoulder; it's another Keese. I look down at it. "Vael, how many of those things do you _have_?"

"Four." He sounds proud of himself.

Well, now I know how he spent part of the afternoon."Four? At the rate you're going, you're going to have a stuffed army."

Vael takes the Keese from my shoulder and looks down at the two he's holding, looking strangely contemplative. "No. I just want four." And then he looks up at the sky and smiles. "It's almost sunset. We should probably make our way to the amphitheater if we want to be able to sit down."

That's right: the speech by the leader of the city -- the speech by the princess. Most of Northcastle is probably going to want to hear it, and the amphitheater, while enormous, is still only so large.

"We should," I say.

The amphitheater is over half filled when we get there, and more people are walking in every minute.

"So," Dark says, crossing his arms. "Where are we going to sit?"

"Yo, Link! Vael! Down here!" It's Mikau, standing on one of the benches near the central wallway and waving. "C'mon!"

I'm not about to turn down the chance at easy seats, so I start making my way towards Mikau. He and Lulu both have ribbons hanging around their necks: second place. That's not bad at all.

"Congratulations, you two," I say as I sit down.

"Thank you, sir archer!" Mikau does a mock salute, hand across his chest, and laughs. "It seems we're a group of winners. Which is good -- someone deserves _something_ for his birthday, even if he doesn't like to celebrate it."

I feel my cheeks heating up. I've never been much for celebrating my birthday; I'd rather just go to the Winter Night carnival, like we're all doing today. It's too important of a day to focus on myself anyway. It's a day to celebrate the light returning to Hyrule, not the fact that I've lived another year.

"Oh, it's your birthday?" Lulu asks, smiling over at me. "How old are you?"

"He's twenty-seven," Dark replies, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

I, meanwhile, look straight at Mikau. "Don't sing."

Too late. He grins broadly, and then starts singing a birthday song loudly. And since he's a singer, he knows how to make his voice carry. I fall onto the bench and hang my head; I can hear several other people singing, too. One of the voices sounds like it's singing a different song, but it's so soft I can't really pick it out of the rest of the sound.

"Guys, stop it..." I mutter. I know it won't do any good, but it's worth the try.

The song finally ends up with a cheer, and then Mikau laughs. "There."

"You didn't have to do that..."

"You might be willing to ignore it, Link, but I'm not. I always do something for my friends on their birthdays! So, there. Now you're taken care of this year."

I just stare down at the ground. "You didn't have to do it _here_."

"Oh, right. You just want me to forget. Too bad." He laughs again. "Happy Birthday, Link."

"Thanks..." I finally look up, and Mikau winks at me. One of Vael's Keese lands on my shoulder; I glance at it.

Vael reaches over and picks it up, tapping it against my cheek before putting it back in his lap. "Happy Birthday."

I've been kissed by a plush Keese; it's just as well I'm already blushing, or I would be now. I clear my throat. "Well, are you done embarrassing me in public now?"

Dark just laughs and sits down beside me; I'm between him and Vael. "For now. It looks like the princess is about to come out on stage."

Good, a distraction! All around us, the crowd -- which had been noisy up to now -- falls silent. She walks out from behind the backdrop and up to the podium. I can't see her well enough to see her face, but she looks regal enough in a blue and white gown and a gleaming silver crown. Her hair is a rich strawberry blond. Her voice is pretty; soft, warm, and gentle.

I'm not really listening to her; in my mind, her image shifts wildly from one to another. Red hair, brown, blond... One princess scarred by seven years of terror, another just awakening from magical sleep, another in shining armor; all of them different, yet all of them the same. I'm not even sure which one I'm looking at anymore...

Everything slams back into focus with a low _twang _-- a crossbow firing -- and the _thwack_ of a bolt striking wood. The world seems to snap into slow motion, every detail vivid and perfectly clear in my head. The princess jumps back; knights and her personal guard start moving in from the sides of the stage.

There's a crossbow bolt imbedded in the top of the podium. Just an inch or two higher, and it would've struck the princess instead.

Someone's trying to kill Princess Zelda!

Screams from behind us! I leap to my feet and whirl around. Several men, all clad in flowing black robes, are running into the amphitheater. All are armed. All have tridents painted on their foreheads. The one in front raises his crossbow again towards the princess still on the stage, the princess still running for cover.

He's about to fire.

I don't think. I jump onto the bench and push off of it, lunging for the man with the crossbow. He turns towards me as I do, moving the crossbow with him; the _twang_ echoes loudly in my ears. I don't see where the bolt goes, but I can't look for it now; I'm already moving, already there! I tackle him hard, slamming him down onto his back in the center of the walkway, and we start wrestling for control of his crossbow.

The world around us fades into a blur of screams and yells and motion, but I somehow manage to stay focused on the man beneath me. I finally yank the crossbow from his hands and smack him with the end of it. I don't really want to hurt him, but I _have_ to stop him before he hurts anyone! I strike him again, harder this time; he slumps down to the walkway, unconscious. I jump to my feet and look around.

The rest of the cultists are... under control. The knights have several of them on their knees, Dark has two more unconscious at his feet, and Vael is breathing hard, like he's been casting magic. Were they helping?

It's over, then, isn't it? I look around at everyone; they're all staring at me. Why?

Why does my shoulder feel wet? I look down.

There's a crossbow bolt sticking out of my right shoulder. I stare down at it in shock for a moment, and then the pain hits and I sink to my knees. My shoulder -- it feels like it's on fire! I barely bite back a cry; it still gets out as a whimper of pain. Farore, it hurts! It hurts worse than when I broke my arm!

"Easy!" Someone has me by the shoulders now, being very gentle to my right one. "Get a healer over here!"

Several people all start talking at once; they're talking about me, I know.

"Leave the bolt in, you idiot!" I hear Dark yell; he's close. "You can't just yank it out -- that'll only make it worse!"

"Who is this guy?"

"Never mind that! Didn't you see what he just did? He took a bolt for the princess!"

"Who are these people? How did they get in here?"

"Where's the healer? Get the healer over here!"

"I don't know!"

"There he is!"

"Where's the injured? Where -- easy, young man; I'm here." I feel hand gently probing around the bolt and hiss in pain.

"Can you remove it?"

"I can, but not here. We need to get him to the hospital; they have the proper tools there."

"Then take him," a woman says. "I would like to be informed of his condition; I wish to speak to him when he is stable."

I don't hear the reply, as someone picks me up and the motion jostles the bolt, and I can't sense anything but the _pain._

What have I done this time?

xXx

I wake up in a hospital bed, alone. I sit up slowly and carefully, wincing as I move my right arm. The bolt is gone; in its place is a large dressing that covers my shoulder, part of my chest, and part of my right arm. Isn't that a bit excessive? My arm is in a sling, too, probably to keep me from trying to use it. There's no point in that -- considering how much it hurts to move it just a little, I'm not about to try to do anything with it.

I stare down at the dressing. I threw myself at a man with a loaded crossbow; why am I so surprised I got hit? At least I know where the bolt went; I know he didn't have the chance to hurt anyone else.

"Awake, hmm?"

I look around; there's nobody in the room but me. That means... "How long have you been in here, Dark?"

"Shh. I'm supposed to be helping the knights interrogate the suspects," Dark says, appearing next to my bed with a broad grin. "At least, that's what I told the others. Then I came in here. I've been here since they wheeled you in here. Oh, yeah, and..." he sits down and looks over at me, "guess who got a visit from the princess?"

"What?"

"Yeah. It seems that she's greatly appreciative of your saving her life."

"Why are you grinning like that?"

"Because you're already saving Zelda from evil." He snickers. "And you say you aren't the Chosen Hero."

I stare down at the blanket. "Those men were part of that cult, weren't they? That was Ganon's trident."

Dark sighs and nods. "Yes, they were. I didn't think they had it in them to make such a blatant attempt on anyone's life, let alone Princess Zelda's. I should've seen this coming." He growls. "They won't try anything for a while, Link, not if they've got any sense. But be careful. I don't think anyone knows who you are; the one news report I heard says that a knight was injured in the attack."

"But if someone figures out I'm the one who stopped their leader..."

"Then the cult might come after you." He shakes his head. "How's your shoulder?"

I close my eyes. "It hurts."

"That's to be expected, I guess. Much?"

"Compared to what? I'll... I'll survive. It's not _that_ bad. But I'm not going to be at work for a while; that much is certain." And I need to be at work. I'm running out of time...

"I think that ultimately depends on just how badly your arm is injured, and _that_ can be at least partially remedied," Dark says, pulling a vial full of deep red liquid out of one of his pockets. "This is all I've got on me. Guess it's just as well; we can't have you completely heal that wound in a few hours, now can we?"

I stare at the vial. "What is that?"

"Potion. Don't tell me you've never heard of this before."

Potion? "How do you have that? Potions aren't cheap..."

Dark just pops the cork out of the vial and holds it out to me. "I know where to get them, and I also know where to get a deal on them. Besides, if it's one thing I've learned, it's to always keep potion handy." He smirks at me, though there's a sadness deep in his eyes that suggests he learned this the hard way. "Never know when you're going to get yourself hurt. Now drink."

I take the vial and sniff at it; I can feel the magic humming through the vial. "I don't know... Won't this make the healers suspicious?"

"There's not enough there to heal you completely, but it should make that wound less of an injury than it is. And it'll take the edge off the pain, so drink it before I force it down your throat." His tone is friendly, but there's just enough of an edge to his voice to make that threat stick.

"I'm drinking," I mutter, and then I do. The potion tingles all the way down my throat; the dull tingle seems to spread all through my body after that. Dark's right; this does take the edge off the pain.

I look over at him. "Thanks."

He nods. "I've got stronger stuff, but I don't usually carry that with me. I can get you some if you think you want it."

"Let me get out of here first, and I'll think about it." That isn't a lie. If there's a way to speed up healing this wound, I think I'm going to take him up on it. "I can't believe I did that."

He just grins and crawls up so that he's beside me on the bed. "You did."

"Dark... what happened exactly? I don't really remember much."

"The cultists ran in and tried to kill the princess, and you threw yourself at the leader. He shot you, you two started wrestling," an angry edge is creeping into his voice as he talks, "and another cultists was coming after you from behind, so I made sure he'll regret ever considering that. Oh, and your friend's a damned good mage, too."

I sigh. "So no one else got hurt?"

"Vael and I did a good job keeping the cultists busy until some of the knights got down there. The only non-cultist who got hurt is you." He leans his head on my uninjured shoulder. "You know, for a bit there, during the fight... You really looked like the hero."

"You really think so?" He's kidding, right?

"Yes, I do." He shifts and starts kissing the side of my neck.

I suck in a quick breath. "What are you --?"

"I like it when you do that," is all he says before he starts kissing harder, his hand sliding up my chest.

"_Ow_! Hey, watch it!" I pull away. He just tried to grab my injured shoulder!

Dark moves to sit in my lap, looking down at me. "I'm sorry, Link," he says softly; he definitely sounds it. "Can I apologize?"

"But you just --" I start to say, but he cuts me off with a kiss. We fall back against the pillow; that doesn't stop us. Farore help me, I need this right now.

He pulls away with a big grin. "Apology accepted?"

"Uh... yeah," I say. I'm still confused, but I know I like that. "Just don't grab my shoulder again, all right?"

"I won't." He leans in to nip at my neck again. "I'll be more careful."

"I'm holding you to that." I sit there for a minute and try to relax; it's strangely easy to with Dark right here. "Where are Vael and Mikau?"

Dark snickers. "No telling where your roommate is, although I think Vael's down in the lobby. Are you sure you two are just friends?"

"Yes!" I hiss; damn it, I'm starting to blush again. "We're good friends and that's _all._ Vael just worries a lot. And what about you? You're hardly one to talk, considering what you seem so interested in..." Namely me.

He grins. "You haven't pushed me away."

"I've got an injured arm."

"You haven't said no."

"I -- I'm confused." It's an excuse. I don't want to admit that I... _damn it._ "I don't know what to say."

He nuzzles my cheek. "You don't have to say anything; just do what you want to do."

"I don't know what to do, either! I just... I'm always reacting to everything. I can't even see what's in front of me, because I'm too busy worrying about other things! What am I supposed to do, Dark? I can't save Hyrule, not like this..."

"Yes, like this," he says softly. "You've done it before."

"I've failed before, too -- you said it yourself!"

"You've succeeded more times than you've failed. Many more." He strokes my cheek; I can feel myself calming down. "Does it really matter if you've failed before? The past is the past; the future is still undetermined."

I scowl up at the ceiling. "I could say the same to you. The past is the past; just because I've been a hero in an prior life doesn't mean that I'm one in this one."

He snickers. "Then why did you take a bolt for a woman you barely know by name?"

Damn it; he has me there. "I just _did_. This is like with the bus, Dark. I didn't think; I just acted. I'm not sure why I did that..."

"If you could do it all over again, would you do it any differently?"

I sigh, remembering the mangled bus shelter and the bolt sticking out of the podium. "I want to say I would... but then innocent people would get hurt."

"Bleeding heart." Dark shifts against me, laying his head on my chest. "Don't change."

What is it about me you like so much? I want to ask, but I can't. Even so, what is it about _me_ that an immortal could possibly find to like -- to love? That's the way things seem to be between us. I shake my head slowly.

I can't rationalize any of this. I'm doing what I have to do to keep others from getting hurt. I guess that's really all I _can_ do right now, isn't it? With another sigh, I close my eyes. Hopefully, I can leave soon. Hopefully, I can get back to work.

Something very bad is going to happen very soon. I've just got the feeling that it will. Something very bad is going to happen, and I can't run away. I have to fight as best as I can to keep this from happening...

"Link?" Dark asks softly; his breath is warm against my bare chest.

"Yeah?"

"Are you trying to do everything at once again?"

How does he always manage to figure out what I'm thinking? "Maybe."

"Don't. We stopped them tonight. We'll stop them next time, too."

"If you say so..."

"I know what I'm talking about. Now try to rest; you need it."

"Okay," I reply, reaching up and wrapping my uninjured arm around his shoulders. He laughs softly -- I feel it more than I hear it -- and makes himself more comfortable. This is like the night out at the Great Palace; I feel _right_ laying here next to him.

I lay there and listen to the sound of Dark breathing until I finally fall asleep.


	8. Falling into Place

_Author's notes: Thanks for the reviews, guys. And Hero of Shadow, it's all right. I can see where I might have confused you with that. _

_This update doesn't come with a long wait. Sorry about how slow I've been, and I hope two updates this week helps make up for that, at least a little. Also, for everyone wondering, yes, things are going to be picking up in the next few chapters._

* * *

**Falling into Place**

"So, what have you been able to find?"

I look over at Vael and idly adjust my sling. "Aside from the picture I've had for well over a month, absolutely nothing. This is old enough that there's nothing left in the myths. I think I found a couple of references to flying eyes, but I can't use two lines. There's nothing I can learn from it, nor is there any context. What about you?"

"The seal is an ancient magic, and it seems tailored to hold in evil. But that's all I can discern. There's no mention of this spell being used, what it is ideally intended to do, or even how long ago it was strengthened. I don't have anything more to go on that you." He sighs. "Well, the last month has been a couple waste of time, hasn't it?"

"That's what it feels like." I scowl. There has to be _something,_ right...? No, if there is -- even the tiniest scrap of a legend -- I would have found it by now. We're just going to have to do what we can with what little we have right now. It didn't work last time, but we do have one last meeting before we have to start prepping for the Gala. We have one last chance to get that vase pulled from the display.

Vael runs a hand through his hair. "This is just wonderful. How long do we have until the meeting?"

I pull out my watch and flip it open. "We've got a little over three hours."

"After five weeks of searching, I doubt the next three hours are going to matter at all. I need to do something besides pour through old texts and diagrams for a while." He stands up. "Even if all I do is wander the halls for a while, I have to do _something."_

"Here, I'll go with you. We can wander the halls together." I stand up and reach for my jacket.

There's a knock on the door. I sigh. "Who is it?"

The door opens and Chambers steps inside. "Ah, good. You're both here. I have a favor I need to ask of the two of you. I'm expecting a guest this afternoon; she's coming to look over the treasures we have selected for display at the Gala. Unfortunately, I've had something rather urgent come up, and I simply _must_ take care of it this afternoon. Could the two of you show her around when she arrives?"

I look over at Vael; Vael meets my gaze and shrugs. It's something to do. I turn back to Chambers and nod. "Yes, we can. Where do we need to meet her?" I walk towards the door.

"She will most likely be waiting for me at my office. I owe both of you for this. Thank you very much!" Chambers reaches out and gives me a strong pat on the shoulder. On my _right_ shoulder. I flinch and barely manage to bite back a whimper of pain. Chambers doesn't even seem to notice; he just smiles at us and leaves.

Vael looks over at me, worried. "Link? Are you all right?"

"Yeah," I say softly. My shoulder is pounding; it throbs when I breathe. "It just hurts a bit; that's all." And it's been less than an hour since I took my last dose of painkillers, so I can't take any more for most of the afternoon. This is going to be such a fun tour, isn't it?

"Let's just get going, okay?" I pull my jacket on as well as I can with one arm and step out into the hall.

Vael looks skeptical. "What does he have to do that's more important than showing around a royal guest? She must have some connection to the castle... Maybe she's here to clear all the things Chambers wants to put on display?"

"That's possible." That's about the only reason I can see someone coming back to look over the display pieces. What could possibly be more important than _that_?

"Are you sure you're going to be all right, Link? I can handle this myself if you'd rather go try and get some rest."

"No, rest isn't going to help me. I can't get comfortable enough to get any sleep anyway." And I _can't._ I've been living off a mix of painkillers and small vials of potion for over a week.

I wish I could just drink enough potion to make this wound heal entirely, but I don't have a choice. Too many people know I'm hurt, and if I were to suddenly get better, too many people would have too many questions. Besides, I'm not sure I want to know how much potion I'd have to drink at once to heal my shoulder completely. Probably more than I could get down.

Right now, though, any potion at all sounds good. I don't care if it's just enough to dull the pain; I just wish I had one of those vials with me, because damn, my shoulder is killing me now!

"He must be distracted by something to not remember that you're hurt," Vael says. "I mean, that sling isn't exactly easy to miss, even if your shirt does cover your bandages."

"It doesn't matter," I say with a sigh. I don't really want to think about this anymore; my shoulder's reminder enough. "We should get going. Knowing how Chambers never allows much time to warn people about anything... his guest is probably at his office wondering where he's gotten off to now."

Sure enough, when we get to Chambers' office, there's a woman roughly our age leaning against the wall by his door, looking bored.

"Well, hello, Miss," Vael says. "Are you here to meet with Professor Chambers?"

"Yes, I am," she replies in a gentle, friendly voice. "Would either of you happen to know where he is?"

"Well, ah, he had something come up, I'm afraid; he asked us to stand in for him."

She sighs. "I should have expected something to come up. I am certain he is a busy man. So, you two are going to show me the pieces your department intends to put on display?"

"Yes, we are." He looks a little embarrassed. "I guess we should introduce ourselves first, shouldn't we? It would be a bit easier if we knew each other's names. I'm Vael Ziota, and this is Link Masters."

She turns to me, looking surprised. "Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing, really," I lie. My shoulder is throbbing. "I just..."

"You just took a bolt to the shoulder, yes?" She smiles warmly at me. "It is good to see that you are well enough to return to your work so soon. I am thankful for that." She looks at both of us and then curtsies. "I am Princess Zelda. I wish to see what Professor Chambers has found that is so worthy of public display."

"You're the princess?" I blurt out. Now that I think about it, she does have the same strawberry blond hair... could she really be?

She doesn't seem surprised or annoyed by my outburst, at least. "I assure you that I am. I never got the opportunity to properly thank you before, and now that we are in the same place, I don't know the words to best express my gratitude. You have my thanks, Link Masters."

"I... um... You're very welcome, Princess. It... It was nothing. I'm just thankful that you're safe," I force out, bowing. That sounds a bit pathetic, but it's all I can come up with right now.

She nods to me. "I just hope that you have no further need to act as my shield. We should get down to business, shouldn't we? I don't wish to waste any of your time."

"Is it safe for you to be here, Princess?" Vael asks. "Well, after the attack, I mean."

"This is a very restricted area, correct? There are few who can enter this part of the museum, and fewer still who are aware of my presence here. That said, my guards are stationed at all the entrances to this wing, and should something happen..." She shakes her head. "For the moment, I see no reason to fear for my safety. I do greatly appreciate your concern, but the proper precautions have been taken."

Vael sighs and nods. "Well, if you feel safe, then... The artifacts are this way, your Highness."

He leads the way to the artifact storage rooms; I take up the rear so it isn't as obvious that I'm walking slow. She, thankfully, stays close to Vael, asking him questions about how many pieces there are, if any seem magical; that sort of thing. Vael answers the questions as best as he can, which isn't very well; neither of us has seen the pieces, after all, only seen a list of them.

Ultimately, this is all pointless, I think darkly. Not one of us can change this. Princess Zelda is in a position where she can at least request that Chambers not exhibit something, but if the king has given Chambers permission to exhibit all of these pieces, then Chambers can almost do as he pleases.

I lean against one of the walls in the storage room, watching as Vael points out each of the pieces Chambers has chosen. Most of them are fairly typical, albeit beautiful, examples of ancient styles: a sword, a shield, a goblet, several old-style Rupees, multiple pieces of jewelry... There isn't anything among them that strikes me as particularly distinctive, but then again, this _is_ my first chance to see them.

I close my eyes and listen for magic. There are several magical auras in the room, and it takes me a bit to separate each from the combined hum. One is that damned vase, harsh and insistent and dissonant. There's what I can only guess is Vael's magic; it sounds like a breeze. The third is almost like gentle singing; some kind of magical item the princess has, maybe? The last one I sense is closer, older, like a voice whispering in an ancient language. Is that... me?

Nothing else in the room seems magical.

"Link, are you okay over there?"

"I'm fine," I reply, opening my eyes and trying to get the dissonance from the vase out of my head. "Need help with something?"

Vael scowls, his gaze flickering over to the vase and then away. "The princess is wondering what we know about this vase. I figured you could explain your part better than I can, so..."

I nod and walk over to the two of them, forcing myself to look at anything but the vase. "I know it isn't much, but I have found this much," I say, and then I explain the image to her, taking care not to mention the Four Sword or Vaati's name.

Vael then explains the magics he has detected on the vase. "So, what do you think, your Highness?" he asks when he's finished.

"I think the Project has chosen a rather unique artifact as part of its display this year. If this truly is as dangerous as your discoveries make it seem, I trust that you will be taking every precaution during the exhibit?"

"We will. Though to be honest, Link and I don't want it on display. It's too much of a risk."

"Because it is magical?"

I shake my head. "No, the museum has several magical artifacts on display right now. This isn't ordinary magic. This is a seal, and though there isn't much, what evidence we have points to there being an evil presence inside that vase. It just seems risky to put it on display. Anytime something is moved, there is a chance it could be broken. And breaking this could lead to something much, _much_ worse than a badly damaged artifact..."

"I trust you have mentioned these concerns to the rest of the Project?"

"Yes, we have," Vael replies. "It seems no one else sees any risk. I'd like to think that we're just being paranoid about this, but..." he glances at the vase. "It nags at me that something could go wrong."

Princess Zelda smiles. "I can understand the risks, but if you were to give the display case an extra level of protection, would you still be so concerned? It will be safely within a case, after all. I cannot say if I would choose to put this out in public view or not, but I am certain that Historian Chambers has weighed the risks and decided the benefits outweight the risks. I have faith that he will make the right decision."

So, she thinks we're worrying too much. Then again, what if we are? I know I can't be completely certain I'm thinking straight. There's something very not right about this vase -- about _Vaati. _Surely Vael, Dark, and I can't be the only ones who notice, can we?

Something chimes softly; the princess glances down towards her waist. "I'm terribly sorry, but I must be going now. It has been a pleasure to meet the two of you, and please, tell Historian Chambers that I am eagerly awaiting his exhibit."

We walk her to one of the exits, where a pair of guards waits, just as she said. Then, with a smile and a nod at each of us, she's gone.

"Well, that was interesting," Vael says, playing with his glasses. "Though now I'm even _less_ convinced we'll ever sway Chambers."

I shake my head. He has a point. If we can't even convince someone with no real connection to this -- and if in turn that neutral party can easily rebut each and every one of our concerns -- then how are we supposed to convince Chambers about this?

"Maybe we should just stop fighting this, Link. I'm beginning to think that this is inevitable."

"Maybe it is..." I reply, holding my shoulder. "But can we really just give up?"

"_It's inevitable, Dark," _my memory says. "_He's just going to come back. Every time we supposedly "destroy" him, all we do is delay the inevitable. He comes back. He never dies; he just sleeps. He just plots. He _comes back. _There has to be a better way to do this! Perhaps fighting him like this isn't the way to do it. He has to have a weakness. _Everything_ has a weakness, and if we can find his, then we can finally destroy him once and for all."_

"_And just how do you plan to do that?"_

"_...when you trust someone, you give them access to things about yourself that you don't tell just anyone. If I can --"_

"Link?" Vael has a hand on my good shoulder, gently shaking me. "Are you okay? You look like you're staring into infinity."

"I'm fine; I was just thinking." What was... Which Link was that? I can figure it out later, because I think I get the point. "I think we're going about this all wrong. Maybe we shouldn't try to make him _not_ exhibit the vase."

"What are you talking about?"

I take a deep breath. "We're trying to keep the vase safe, right? The princess called the vase a rather unique artifact. Let's capitalize on that." The more you trust someone, the safer you feel around them. The more valuable a piece is believed to be, the better security it gets -- the safer it is. "Let's make it the centerpiece of the display."

"That would give it its own case..." His eyes widen. "Which we can them ward as much as we deem necessary, because we won't have to worry about altering anything else in the case!"

"Exactly! We tell the truth for the display: this vase is believed to hold the remains of a great evil felled by the hero long ago. That would make it quite the showpiece, right?"

Vael nods, though he looks nervous. "And with it directly connected to Hylian history, everyone would want to see it. It's one-of-a-kind, incredibly valuable. If we display it as an exhibit by itself instead of just part of the Project's... The museum will have extra security on hand for it. Every time a major artifact is put on display, it gets extra security -- this wouldn't be any different at all, would it?"

I nod back. "And Chambers is much more likely to accept that option; we both know how much he'd love being able to show off a find like this. He gets to feel proud; the vase gets extra protection." I've been focusing on keeping the vase hidden, but if it's warded and guarded and all of that, no one in their right mind would try to break it -- it'd be too risky to try.

"Then I suppose we should mention it at the meeting later, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah, we should."

"I hope this has all just been the two of us being paranoid," Vael says softly. "I don't want to think about what could happen if that breaks..."

"With luck, we never will."

The cardreader beeps softly on the other side of the door, and then the door opens and Chambers walks into the hallway. "Well, hello, you two. I take it my guest has already taken her leave? Ah, I had hoped to see her. There will be other times, I suppose. Does she approve?"

"She does." Vael glances nervously at me.

"Good! Then we can move forward and start planning the layout of the display tonight. Unless either of you has any more objections?"

I take a deep breath. Here goes. "Actually, sir, Vael and I wanted to talk to you about that..."

xXx

"_Ow_!"

"Stop whining; you know this needs changed."

I turn in my chair so I can glare at Dark. "I know _that_, but do you have to be so rough about it? What are you trying to do, rip my arm off?"

Dark chuckles. "You complain too much."

"I think I have room to complain," I mutter, glaring down at my desk. "Do you think I'm making a mistake?"

He finishes taking off my bandage. "It seems to be healing well enough. When do you see the healer next? I think you're almost ready to get out of that stupid sling. Does it hurt much?"

Why is he dodging my question? "I see the healer tomorrow. And it's a little sore, but with painkillers, it's fine. Now, do you think Vael and I are making a mistake?"

"I don't know. I hope not, but we'll find out. What made you change your mind?"

I sigh. This is going to sound stupid. "I guess you can say a ghost told me."

He stops. "You remembered something?"

"Yeah. I'm not sure what, but..." I close my eyes. How did it go? "When you trust someone, you tell them things you don't tell just anyone." Not the same, but close enough. "That, and there has to be a better way."

"And that made you decide to let Chambers put the vase on display?" He sounds tense and sad and cold, like I just said something wrong.

"I thought I was trying to do this the wrong way, so I found an alternative that I didn't want to consider before. It makes sense, doesn't it? I was being too stubborn before. That's my weakness, I think: I'm too quick to get an idea in my head and keep it there."

"Yes, you are," Dark mutters. He finishes bandaging my shoulder. "You're reading too much into that, Link. Forget that memory; you don't want it."

"Why wouldn't I want it, Dark? I want to remember what I can..."

He walks over to the cracked little window and stares out. "No, you don't. Not that."

Why not? "Shouldn't I be the one to decide that? They're my memories, after all."

"Some things are too painful to be worth remembering."

"Are they?" I stand up and pull my shirt back on, slowly buttoning it up. "History is the record of what has happened before. Some of it is good. Some of it is bad. By choosing to ignore one or the other, you ignore part of the story. It doesn't matter _how_ painful it is, Dark. You have to acknowledge the bad with the good.

"I..." I shake my head. "I think that's why I decided the vase needs to be the centerpiece. I still don't want it broken -- the Three help us all if it breaks -- but... I wanted to just lock it back in a vault. I wanted to keep it out of sight and out of mind. That might keep it safe, but... now that I think about it, I've been very selfish about this."

"How? You're one of the least selfish people I've ever met, Link," Dark says, turning around and leaning against the windowframe.

I sigh. "I've been so focused on the bad that could result from this that I've forgotten the point of putting something on display: to help make history real to the average person. Even with all the stories about Ganon's Slayer, there's still a barrier between the legend and history. This vase is real. It's tangible. It takes one of the stories and makes it less of a story. This _happened;_ this is what's left.

"And, silly as it may sound, the vase is a sign of hope."

He gives me a flat look. "Hope?"

"Yes. It's physical evidence that evil can be defeated and that good will triumph in the end."

"You say that even knowing you've died before you could defeat Ganon?"

"Yes! Because even though I failed then, I know that Ganon is dead!" That's all I need to know. Every time Ganon has threatened Hyrule, he has been defeated either by the hero or his shadow. "Ganon may have had time to do terrible things to Hyrule, but in the end, he _always_ falls. In the end, good always wins. How can that fact _not_ inspire hope?"

Right? Or am I that naive?

Dark just stares at me, looking incredibly thoughtful and sad. "You never do change, do you?"

"I haven't? You said I've been a traitor and a coward -- doesn't that mean I have to have changed?"

For an instant, he looks almost panicked, but he quickly recovers and turns back to the window. "I mean that you never change from... from one hero to the next," he says, sounding oddly like he's pulling that out of thin air.

Why would he sound like he's making something up? ...unless there's something he isn't telling me.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" I step towards him. "What, you don't think I can handle? I may not like it, true, but don't I need to know? Please, Dark, don't hide things from me! Don't you trust me?"

He turns around slowly, looking pained. "It's not that Link. I just don't want to see you... _No," _he hisses. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry, Link, but I just _can't." _And with that, he fades away.

"Dark? Dark! Where are you --?" He just... He's still here, isn't he? I can't tell -- he might be here watching me, but he might be halfway out of the building by now.

I sigh and fall back into my chair. "Why can't you tell me? Does it really hurt that much?" I'm not expecting an answer. He's probably long gone.

Silence. I don't like it. I look around my office and wince at how empty it seems now. It's late; I should go. I need to catch the bus anyway, and there aren't that many more tonight. I look down at the sling laying on my desk and then stuff it into my bag. I'll take it with it, but I'm not wearing it. My shoulder still hurts, but... I don't care. Let it hurt. It helps distract me from the ache in my chest.

"_No! I won't let you die, not like this!"_

"_I deserve this... It is because of my foolishness that all of this happened..."_

All I can do is grab the desk and suck in a quick breath. For a minute, it feels like -- like I'm cut open, like I'm dying. I've died young more than once...

That shouldn't be such a strange thought; Dark said he killed the coward, and one died in the attempt, and... I think I've died young three times. What was the third? Is this why Dark is acting like this, because he remembers?

He said he didn't want to see me somehow. See me what? See me hurt? See me _die_? That might be it. That would also explain why he's so unwilling to talk about it; it would have to be a painful memory.

I slam my good fist against the desktop. I want to know, but do I... I don't have the right to hurt him. And whatever this is, it hurts him. This is like before, only worse. This time I hurt him enough to chase him away.

I doubt he's here anymore, but... "I'm sorry, Dark. I'm sorry that I'm such a damned _idiot."_

Now I'm going home.

xXx

It's late enough that the bus is practically empty, not that I mind. I take a seat at the very back and stare out the window. The streets around the university are mostly empty. It's winter break for all the schools in the area, so of course there's next to no one around. Everyone's gone home to visit family.

That's where I should be right now, Kakariko City; I should go check on Uncle and see how the guys are faring in the races without me. That's normal. Instead I'm here worrying about an ancient vase and talking to my own shadow and dealing with something that... I'm not supposed to know this. I don't think I'm even supposed to know that I've been reincarnated, let alone have memories of my prior lives.

I feel like I've got access to things that no mortal is meant to know. Farore, I have _got_ to stop thinking about this; I'm going to drive myself crazy!

I shift in the seat and open my bag, wondering if I gave that cheap paperback back to Mikau yet. It's not the greatest thing I've ever read, but right now, I need a silly little story about a man driving across the kingdom.

It isn't here; guess I did give it back. But there _is_ something else: an envelope with my name written on it in flowing handwriting I don't recognize. Someone got into my bag? And it's not just my name, it's my name and my title. Who left this? There are very few people who call me "Historian Link Masters," and those who do aren't in any position to be leaving envelopes in my bag.

Then again, Dark may be why it's in my bag. The person probably slid it under the door, so he took it and put it here so I could find it. I should remember to thank him for this whenever I get the chance to see him again.

I open the envelope. Inside is a letter and something gold. The gold is a pendant shaped like a Triforce hanging from a gold chain; the gap between the three triangles holds a small emerald.

The letter is short and written in the same flowing script: "_I hope this letter reaches you easily. I wish to give this to you as a token of my thanks; I believe it fits your spirit quite well. You will be at the Gala, correct? I would like an opportunity to speak with you when we aren't both distracted by other matters. As before, you have my gratitude. I cannot thank you enough for your heroism, Link Masters."_

The signature is ornate and hard to read, but I know what it says. It's Princess Zelda's signature.

I look down at the pendant in my hand and swallow hard. Green for courage. I don't need a reward, and I'm not sure I should wear something so... so ornate, so _beautiful. _But if this is the princess' way of thanking me, do I dare turn it down? I put the letter back in my back and wrap my hand tightly around the pendant.

She wants to speak to me at the Gala. Princess Zelda wants to talk to _me._ I don't think I'm worthy of this kind of attention, really. I mean, I know I saved her life, but... I'm still just a historian.

Someone walks back and sits in the seat in front of me. That's a little odd; most of the bus to choose from, and someone sits this close?

"Are you going to put it on?"

I jump at the voice, knocking my bag over and dropping the pendant. The person in front of me bends down and then sits up, holding the pendant. It's Dark.

I need to apologize about what happened in my office. "About earlier, Dark, I --"

"_No._ Don't apologize, Link; it isn't your fault. It's mine. I still don't like thinking about happened back then, and right now, you have other things to worry about." He holds the pendant out to me and sighs. "You're right, though. You do deserve to know. After the Gala; ask me then."

I nod. That sounds fine. After the Gala, I can relax about that vase; after the Gala, there will be plenty of time to work out all of these memories. I take a deep breath and then put the pendant on, staring down at the emerald glinting dully in the low lighting of the bus.

"That suits you," I hear Dark say. He's sitting sideways in his seat, leaning on the seatback and watching me.

"You really think so?" The chain is long enough to let me, so I tuck it under my shirt; the pendant is cool against my skin. "I'm not sure if I should wear it or not."

"Why not?"

"I don't wear things this fancy, Dark. You know that." The chain and pendant have next to no weight, yet somehow, that little bit of weight around my neck and against my chest is strangely comforting. Maybe I should wear it. It is a gift, after all.

"Whatever you say, Link. I think it suits you, Hero."

I nod slowly. "I'll wear it for now, I guess." I can always take it off later, after all. "How'd you know I'd be here?"

"I've been following you."

I should've figured that. "You put this in my bag for me, right? Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I was just waiting for you to come back earlier, and someone slid it under the door. I figured you'd want it, and I knew if I just left it there, either you or Vael would step on it or kick it under something, so I stuck it in your bag. I'm almost surprised; didn't take you as long to find it as I thought."

"Well, I was looking for a distraction. I guess I found one, didn't I?"

He smirks. "I guess you did. So, what now?"

I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean, what now?"

"Exactly what I just said. What do we do now?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm going hom." I reach over and pull my bag back over to me, wincing at the dull ache in my shoulder as I do. "And then I'm taking some more painkillers."

Dark looks worried for a second, and then he smiles. "Shouldn't you be wearing your sling?"

"Why? I can use my arm; it just hurts. Besides, I can't put it on myself, and you were busy doing whatever you were doing to avoid me."

He flinches at that. "Sorry. Want me to help you put it on now?"

"No. We're almost home anyway." I sigh. "I bet the healer will insist on waiting at least another week to ride my bike."

"Probably. Well, you're the one who jumped at a man with a loaded crossbow."

"Stop reminding me, Dark; my shoulder does a fine job of that already."

Dark grins, reaching up to yank on the cord to signal for a stop. "I'm just going to have to fix that in a few minutes, aren't I?"

"How so? You already changed the bandage."

"First, I can get you some more potion, and second, there are ways to take your mind off your shoulder."

Like what he did at the hospital? "I don't know if that's necessary."

He reaches over and pokes my good shoulder. "You're tense, Link. Even a hero needs to relax every now and then. Especially right now; there's no evil to fight."

"There's a cult."

"Yeah, a crazy cult that did something incredibly stupid and let most of the city know it exists. If they're the least bit smart, they'll be laying low for a while, what with the increased patrols and all."

He has a point. And the Gala's not for another couple of weeks -- at the very least, I want to be out of this sling by then, even if I _can't_ ride my bike. Does that mean there's nothing to worry about?

Then again... I saw the museum in ruins in that vision. I don't remember seeing a vase anywhere, though, just lots and lots of broken weapons. But the museum has guards, and there's no way someone could just walk in there and destroy the place, right? Visions don't have to be literal. Maybe it's a metaphor? All the weapons were broken...

"Link! It's our stop!"

"Uh, right," I say, grabbing my bag and following Dark out the door. There's not much ice, thankfully; the weather has gotten cold enough that there's just snow, and quite a bit of it. I pull my jacket closed and walk a little faster. I want inside the apartment where it's nice and warm, and I can get comfortable and get some rest.

Neither of us says anything until we get inside. We close and lock the door and get out of our coats and boots, and I head into the kitchen to start some water boiling.

"I didn't really let you finish earlier, did I?" Dark says absently, leaning against the doorframe. "You and Vael decided to exhibit the vase?"

"As a connection to the legends of the hero. Like I was saying before I got sidetracked, we decided that since Chambers is going to show it whether we want him to or not, it was best to use all the information we have as our evidence to connect it to the legends. That makes it more valuable; that makes it unique. And that grants it all kinds of extra protections on top of the standards one."

"I see... So, hiding it in plain sight, are we?" He walks over.

"I guess you could say that... I've still got a bad feeling about the Gala, like something's going to happen then."

"Why then?"

I don't know, really. "I had that vision, remember? The Gala always attracts a lot of people, and even with all the extra security, someone might start trouble."

"True." He opens the cabinet and starts rummaging around. "Damn it, Mikau; where'd you hide the coffee this time? Ah, there it is... Anyway, after what happened at the carnival, there's bound to be a lot of extra security at the Gala. So I'm sure everything's going to be fine."

"If you're sure... I just -- I know what I saw."

"Yeah, well," Dark glances over at me from where he's making his coffee. "That's the funny thing about visions. You see that one little snapshot in time, but you never know _when_ it might be. It doesn't have to happen soon. And if you change things enough, it may not happen at all."

I lean against the counter. "But... what if it does? How am I supposed to prevent this?"

He sighs heavily and shakes his head slowly. "Some things just can't be prevented, Link. Besides, even if you knew exactly when and where this was going to happen, who would you tell? No one would believe you until it was too late. And then they'd probably think you were connected to it, because how else could you have known?"

"But... all those weapons are going to be shattered! All that history, that beauty, all of it _destroyed_, and for what? Why would someone want to destroy all those weapons?" As I say that, it hits me; there's a reason to destroy every weapon -- if someone is trying to destroy a weapon but doesn't know what the weapon looks like! "Someone's trying to destroy the Master Sword!"

"Most likely."

I can't believe this. I want to stop this, even though I know I can't. All of that history is going to be destroyed, and I can't do anything to stop it. We're going to lose all of it...

"It's a warning, isn't it? I have to keep the Master Sword safe."

"_We_ have to keep it safe," Dark counters. "And it is safe. Think about it, Link. It's miles from the museum, sitting on a desk in a typical apartment in an average part of the city. Who would ever think it's here? Not even Mikau knows it's here."

"You're right. I'm just worried." I shake my head and focus on making my hot cocoa; it gives my hands something to do.

"You're just thinking too much. Some things don't make sense, Link."

"Yow!"

He grins. "See? Japas agrees with me. Are you hungry, cat?" He walks over to the door to Mikau's room and comes back with Japas rubbing eagerly against his ankles. "Fine, cat; I guess I'll feed you."

I take my mug and wander into my room, sitting down at my desk. The Master Sword lies on my desk as it always does, its almost flawless blade shining in the dim light and humming with dormant power. The blade is clean now and has been since I took that bolt, so I can see the entire thing free of dirt and corrosion. It's beautiful, really.

The blue-silver blade is marred only by a few small chips and scrapes along its deadly sharp edges and smooth flat. For some reason, though, it seems that the marks are in different places every time I look at the sword; am I just remembering them, projecting damage that no longer exists onto the blade? I'm not sure how it could repair itself; maybe every time it awakens, it does so as it was when it was first forged? It's possible, but I don't know.

The Triforce engraved in the blade where it widens has the slightest flicker of gold to it, just enough to be noticeable. I can't tell if it's because the engraving is inlaid with gold, if the metal is tinted in that little spot, or if it's nothing more than a trick of the light. Whatever the reason, it makes the blade seem even more holy than it already looks.

It's strange, really, but I can't bring myself to touch the sword now that it's clean. How can I? This is little different from the holy tools on a Temple altar or the royal crown -- there are just some things that the average person is not meant to handle.

There's no reason for me to think like this, though. This is my sword. I can't fight with it if I'm too afraid to even touch it!

"There you are!" Dark says, walking into the room with his cup of coffee. "So, want me to make you feel better?"

"I don't know if you can, really. I'm just not sure what to do anymore."

He sets his mug down, and then he takes my free hand and pushes it down against the flat of the Master Sword; the blade hums against my hand, but nothing else happens.

"Stop worrying about things that are out of your control, Link." He starts rubbing my shoulders. "We'll get through this. We always do."

"Everything works out in the end," I say softly. That's how it seems to go. It might take more than one battle, more than one war, more than one _life_, but in the end, it works out for the best. I reach up and wrap my hand around my pendant.

"Exactly." He says softly, giving my shoulders a final squeeze before going back to his coffee. "So, it's time we focus on what we can do. For now, we can just prepare. Tomorrow, we'll see how your shoulder is doing, and unless the healer says something I'm not expecting her to, tomorrow afternoon, we're going to spar. You need practice."

"You just like beating me."

He shrugs and grins. "Maybe I do. But you need the practice just the same. The day is coming when you'll have to defend more than your ego, you know. It wouldn't be very fitting if the hero dies because he doesn't know how to use his own sword."

I sigh. "All right. And after that?"

"I haven't decided yet. I was thinking we should just relax. And I mean that: no worrying about the vase, no digging through your notes -- just _relaxing._ I'm going to enforce it."

"Shouldn't you be out keeping tabs on that cult?"

He playfully smacks my good shoulder. "What did I just say? Stop worrying about that! I've got my ways of keeping an eye on them. Like I said earlier, they're not going to make a move for a while. They're stupid, but they're not _that_ stupid."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Which one of us has had more time to learn how people work?"

I turn and sigh, giving him a pointed look. "Which one of us isn't cynical?"

"Point taken. Well, I'm going to go watch some TV. Are you coming, or are you going to stare down at your sword all night? Because I'd like more company than the damned cat, you know." He looks down at me and then shakes his head. "Ultimately, though, do whatever you want." And he walks into the living room.

I look down at the Master Sword and sigh. Yeah, I should relax. There's no real reason to worry, right? The Master Sword is safe, the vase is going to be protected, Dark's going to answer all my questions after the Gala... and that vision may be nothing more than a weird dream. I nod, and then I head out to find Dark.

He's on the couch, not that that's a surprise, a blanket draped over his legs and Japas curled up in his lap. I really wish I could figure out whether he hates the cat or not. But that isn't important right now, because for the moment, they're playing nice. I take a seat next to him and claim some of the blanket for myself.

"So, you decided to join me, did you?"

"My room's a little cold," I reply. It's not an entire lie; my room does stay cooler than the living room.

He nudges my leg with one foot. "If the problem is that you're cold, you know that I could always warm you up."

"Really. And how do you plan to do that?"

"I've got my ways. It mostly depends on how much you feel up to." He grins.

I shake my head and sigh. "I don't really feel up to much."

"Okay, I can work with that," Dark says with a little laugh, reaching over and pulling me closer. "We can just be lazy together." Japas meows in annoyance and jumps off the couch as we both try to make ourselves more comfortable.

It's nice and warm, sitting like this. I rest my head on Dark's shoulder; he chuckles.

"Mikau could come home any minute, you know," he says softly, teasingly.

"I don't care," I mumble, and I don't. I'm comfortable. I've finally found a position that eases the pain in my shoulder; I think I want to stay like this for a while.

He wraps an arm around me, careful not to bump my shoulder. "Do you want me to get you a potion?"

"No, I'm all right. Besides, I feel a bit guilty for using so many." And I don't want him to move. I might not be able to get comfortable again if he does.

"Look, if I didn't want you to have them, I wouldn't offer them to you. Are you sure you don't need one?" He strokes my hair.

"I'm sure. I'm feeling better now, really." The hand on my hair is soothing, and I could just fall asleep right here.

Dark pulls the blanket tighter around us. "If you're sure, then. See, isn't it nice to relax once in a while?"

"Yeah, it is. I'm still worried that I'm making a mistake, though..."

He sighs. "Maybe you are. Would knowing that change anything you're doing?"

Point taken. "No. I'm doing what I think is the right thing to do."

"Then... don't worry about it. If you are, we'll deal with the consequences. If not, well, no point wasting your time worrying about it. Just, do me a favor, Link."

"Yeah?"

He sounds oddly serious. "Don't do anything hasty, please?"

I close my eyes and nod. "I won't. I promise."

"Good." He relaxes against me. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Nothing at all."

Much as I don't want to admit it, he's right. Worrying gets me nowhere. All I can do is keep the Master Sword safe and stay on the lookout for any trouble. That's all I can do.

I just hope it'll be enough.


	9. Night of Destiny

_Author's notes: For those of you getting impatient for the Gala, well, the wait is over. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Night of Destiny**

I climb off my bike and take off running towards the museum, not even bothering to take off my helmet. It's _cold_ out here this evening! The falling snow doesn't help that any.

It makes the museum look gorgeous, though. Long chains of white lights are wrapped around the massive columns and dangling like icicles from the archway at the entrance. It makes the building look like it's covered in stars, especially with all the lights sparkling off the snow. I don't spend much time admiring the view, however; I'm much more interested in running over to the entrance to the research wing and digging my keybadge out.

The cardreader beeps quietly and the door opens. I duck inside and kick the snow off my boots before pulling off my helmet. I'm going to have to redo my ponytail before I head out, but I can deal with that. That's why I'm here a little early, after all.

I open the door to Vael's office. Vael is sitting at his desk, leaning forward towards a small mirror and fighting with his tie.

"Need some help with that?" I ask, setting my helmet down on an empty chair. I don't really know why I'm offering, considering how long it took me to get my own looking symmetrical. I don't like bow ties.

"I'm getting it. I'm just not good with these things." He looks over at me and grins. "So I'm not the only one who is technically breaking dress code tonight. That's good to know."

"Yeah, he can gripe at both of us if he wants to, but... I don't see anything wrong with a little bit of color. Besides, it's not like I'm horribly violating it." And I'm not. The department dress code is a black suit, black tie, and a white dress shirt. And black dress shoes. Well, I've got the suit and tie, but my dress shoes are really my riding boots -- when they're polished up, like they are right now, they look perfectly formal -- and my shirt is a dark green, because I like green.

Vael's wearing a purple shirt, not that I'm surprised. He likes the color.

"Finally!" He falls back in his chair, his tie neatly tied. "Have I ever said how much I hate ties? No? Well, I'm saying it now." He tosses his hair over his shoulder and starts cleaning his glasses.

I borrow the mirror and fix my ponytail. I need to be certain I look presentable; the princess wants to talk to me tonight.

The pendant around my neck feels strangely heavy tonight, making me aware that it's hanging there. I take a slow breath and reach up, tracing the outline through my shirt. It feels like there's a weight looming over me: not enough to hurt, but weighing down on me just the same. Am I just that worried about tonight?

"Well, should we go check our display?"

I nod. "Yeah, let's go."

For the moment, the museum is empty aside from its own personnel and the city guardsmen serving as extra security. I've heard that many of the guests tonight are going to be accompanied by knights and their personal bodyguards, and after what happened at the festival, I can't say I blame anyone for wanting some extra guards around.

Chambers is, unsurprisingly, not here. He's no doubt waiting by the entrance so he can show people towards our section. I can't blame him, I suppose; this vase is a huge find. I should be enjoying that fact, shouldn't I? It's physical proof of something from legend.

...I _should_ be more excited by this. This is... This is what I've been looking for. This is like the Master Sword, only I can tell people about the vase. Now if I can just shake the feeling that something is going to go very wrong very soon, maybe I can enjoy myself a bit.

"Hey, Link, would you look at something for me?" Vael says; he's pressed against the wall, trying to peer in through the back of the case.

"What is it?"

"It looks like there's something on the back of the vase, like chalk or something."

I mirror his position on the other side of the case. There _is_. It's hard to tell what it is, as it's small and near the bottom of the vase on the part that faces the wall, but it looks like a little gray mark. I'm not sure if it's chalk or not. Chalk would make sense, though -- there are little chalk marks all over the inside and outside of the case that I can see when I look for them. The mages put them there as part of the wards.

"It's probably just part of the ward," I say, standing up and making sure I don't have anything on my jacket.

"I don't know... I don't see why anyone would need to mark directly on the vase." He sighs and adjusts his glasses. "Maybe they didn't mean to; it might have just rubbed off... but I don't know. It looks almost deliberate."

I shrug. "I'm not sure. We'll just have to make sure that, however it got there, that chalk gets cleaned up when we take it back to storage." It doesn't need to be on the vase, but there's nothing we can do now. We can't open the case without the key, and Chambers has the key, wherever he is. At least the mark is small and in an out-of-the-way place; hopefully no one else will see it.

"Yeah. I think I'm worrying too much about this thing. Well," he says, his voice nervous, "we did it, didn't we? This is either something the hero sealed away, or it's something that inspired the legend. Either way..."

"This is connected to the legendary hero," I finish. "It's just... In some ways, I wish this was connected to one of the more recent legends, one of the ones that is still _intact._ All I've got is an image; I don't even have a partial legend to connect this to."

I have a few memories, though. A howling wind, Princess Zelda turned to stone, a sinister laugh, and the image of a magical blade lying broken on a stone walkway. They're not enough to tell the story, but they're enough to tell that Vaati caused a lot of trouble for Hyrule once, long ago.

Behind me, I hear voices; people are starting to arrive. The Gala is about to start. "Time to go, Vael," I say, turning back to him.

Vael has his glasses off, staring at the vase. He looks older without his glasses, older and determined. He says something I can't make out; I see his lips moving. And then he slides his glasses on and turns towards me with a nod.

"Yeah, let's go."

The Gala starts off with a trio of fancy speeches by one of the royal ministers, the head of the museum, and Chambers. I have to admit I'm not really listening; Chambers isn't saying anything I don't already know, and the other two speeches are more ceremonial than anything else.

There are a lot of people here, although a fair portion of the group -- a rough estimate says between a quarter and a third -- consists of various guards, and another portion, much smaller but still here, appears to be the press corps. Royalty, aristocracy, security, and a throng of reporters, what a crowd.

I take the first chance I get to head back to our display and lean against the wall. I may as well make myself available for questions, because at least this way I can talk to these people without feeling like an idiot. Several other Project members are weaving their way through the crowd; I think I see Garrimed talking to one of the guards.

I just don't like talking to aristocrats. I always feel like I'm saying something wrong, like I'm being scrutinized for any possible mistake just because I'm not one of them. It's not a problem normally; I'm just another historian in a building full of scholars. But nights like this... I'm not exactly comfortable.

Oh, well. I wasn't selected for the Royal History Project for my conversation skills.

I spend more of the next hour or so talking than I thought I would; it seems the vase is drawing plenty of attention, and quite a few people want to hear about it and the sketch behind it. At one point, a reporter even wanders by and asks me a few questions.

After he heads off to see the rest of the exhibits, I turn towards the case and look at the sketch on the wall. The image isn't quite the same one Dark found; one of the other Project members filled in the gaps with what he thought belonged there. But his additions don't fit, not really, and it's jarring to me. It's not that he did a bad job; it's more than my mind is so accustomed to seeing the image with all the gaps and holes in it that it looks wrong to see it intact.

That, and the additions include making one of the four heroes right handed. I favor my left hand, and I'm certain that I always have, so I know that in the original all four of the heroes had swords in their left hands. I reach up and massage my temples. It's such a trivial thing, yet that one tiny little detail is just _wrong._

"It certainly looks more intimidating from this angle," a woman says beside me. "I find it a bit odd that it sits up so high."

"We wanted to give the specimen the best possible viewing angle," I reply, turning towards her. It isn't up _that_ high; the vase sits at roughly the same level as my chest.

The woman is Princess Zelda, wearing a blue and white dress. "I see. I suppose it serves its purpose; it is only fitting that a vase holding an evil presence should look sinister."

"It does most of that on its own, Princess. All we did was set it on the shelf."

She laughs, her voice soft and warm. "It still seems strange that something like this has been sitting in the vault and no one has noticed it until now."

"Well, it was probably in there for safekeeping. It was found during an inventory of the entire castle; apparently someone finally checked whatever dark corner it was hiding in."

For a moment, she doesn't answer; she just stares at the vase. Finally, she turns to me. "I must admit, my knowledge of legend is a bit lacking. The display says that this legend has been lost, so I'm certain you can't tell me much, but... Historian Chambers has told me that you are quite knowledgeable about the legends of the hero. What is your opinion about what this image shows?"

"Well, we know very little about anything depicted in this image, except that the four men are apparently the legendary hero," I point towards the Triforce hovering over the four men. "The Triforce is drawn over all four of them as a group, yet the hero is always a single man."

"That seems to be a contradiction."

I nod. "It isn't necessarily literal, of course. And that's the problem. Maybe it's a way of showing that the hero had the strength or skill of four men." That's very possible, except I know that isn't why. I'm just trying to come up with an alternate explanation, because I'm not supposed to know the answer. "Or perhaps it's the result of some enchantment. One of the details that seems to come up in the legends over and over again is the fact that the hero always has magical assistance in his quest.

"It's possible, therefore, that the four men are the same man in four bodies." I force myself to chuckle. "But then again, it is also possible that the hero of that legend was really four men acting together. Without a corresponding story, it's a bit difficult to tell."

She nods politely; she's watching me.

"The story at its core is that the winged eye, whoever or whatever it may be, threatened Hyrule and the hero or heroes rose up and struck it down. Sometime after that, the eye's evil presence appears to have been sealed inside the vase. My belief is that the power of the hero's sword is at least part of the seal on the vase. I'm not sure if you can see it through the case, but the swords in the image are stylistically the same as the swords on the vase. The swords all have an unusual design that our weapons expert has never seen before. Of course, it is a much older style, but this design seems too formal and elegant to be just a normal sword."

"I see. I do remember hearing the Hero's Blade sealing evil away; do you think this is similar?"

"It could be. Holy power is the best thing to seal evil, after all."

"Very true. That reminds me; there is something I would --" She looks at something behind me. "Good evening, Historian Chambers."

"Ah, good evening, your Highness. I see you've found Historian Masters."

She smiles. "Yes, I have. He has been telling me about your vase. It seems to have a rather fascinating history behind it."

Chambers grins as he stops next to us. "Yes, it does, doesn't it? And to think it has been sitting in the vault gathering dust for centuries. It makes me wonder what other treasures may have been found in the inventory."

I don't think there are any, unless there's some other great sealed evil hidden in a forgotten dark corner. Then again, there may be some things that were forgotten but have now been found, although I doubt any of them will be of any interest to the Project. I'm mostly just worried about what else could be down there.

Things aren't generally forgotten without a reason, and a big reason is that the thing, whatever it may be, loses its relevance. For a while after the great wars and conflicts in Hyrule's history, what later became the legends was a very important thing. People lived it; it was more than just repeated stories -- it was a way to document the terror they'd seen and to remember those who died. However, each generation grew further and further from the memory of that war, and so the histories faded into legend, and then the legends themselves started to fade.

Likewise, the people of Hyrule forgot about the threat that Vaati once posed; once that had happened, there was no point in remembering that he was sealed inside a vase. Now, it has been so long since he was sealed away that Hyrule has forgotten his name, as well as his very existence.

I can sympathize with Vaati, in a way. Hyrule doesn't remember the hero's name either.

"Isn't that right, Link?" Chambers asks. He and the princess both look at me.

I don't have context. "I'm sorry," I stammer, trying not to seem too flustered. "What was the question again?"

Chambers chuckles. "I was just telling the princess about how you found the sketch for the display, and how it seems to be a legend that we know nothing about. Isn't that right?"

"Ah, yes, it is. I found the sketch in a book of ancient Hylian art; sadly, there isn't any context for it, and while the source sketch is several hundred years old, the carving it was based on was much, much older and damaged. I say "was", because it is highly unlikely that said carving still exists at all."

The princess shakes her head slowly; the blue gems on her circlet flash in the light with the motion. "It is such a shame that we know so little about it, and even more so that there is no way to learn more."

"That is the peril of history, Highness. It is easily changed, mis-remembered, or forgotten," Chambers says with a sigh. He looks around the room and nods, as if to himself. "I must apologize; I need to tend to something across the way. Perhaps we can continue this discussion later?"

She smiles. "Of course. I wouldn't wish to keep you from your duties."

I shake my head and sigh as he walks off. That's just like Chambers, always trying to do a dozen things at the same time. Oh, well; tonight is the one night all year he gets to show our research off to the kingdom at large.

Some man in a fancy suit walks up and starts talking to the princess, completely ignoring me. He starts to lead her across the room, and she turns to me long enough to politely excuse herself. And then I'm alone again. I move back over to the wall. The room seems quieter now than it did a few minutes ago -- that's a bit odd.

"I knew I'd find you here," Vael says, leaning against the wall next to me almost before I know he's there. "I think I should have stayed over here, too."

"What happened?"

He runs a hand through his hair. "Well, when I'm not getting barraged with questions about the magics on the vase -- which I've no problem explaining, so that's not a bad thing -- I keep getting asked questions about all the other displays. And one older gentleman wants to know how we ward our cases... because of _course_ I know and am willing to describe it in detail to someone I don't know." He leans back against the wall. "Your night going any easier?"

"I got to talk with Princess Zelda a little, and Chambers came by for a minute. Nothing too interesting. You were just over by the podium; is someone giving a speech soon?"

"No, I think they're done with the speeches tonight, at least until the Gala's over."

Damn. My one explanation for why the crowd seems quieter, gone. "I thought maybe someone was, since it's not as loud in here as it was a while ago."

"Maybe you're just getting used to all the noise in here."

"You're probably right," I say with a nod before digging my watch out of my pocket and flipping it open. It's been longer than I thought; the Gala's almost over now. I flip my watch closed and put it away. "So, Vael. What are you doing after this?"

"Getting out of this suit. Besides that, I haven't decided yet. I may just head home and get some rest. You?"

"I'll probably just go get some sleep. I'd like to go ride around, but if it's been snowing the whole time, I think I want to get home before the roads get too bad."

Vael chuckles. "See, this is why the bus is a good thing. You should give it a try sometime. No need to drive, and the bus is usually nice and warm, unlike your bike."

The air seems to cool off rapidly, the chill slicing easily through my clothing. I tense. What in the world is _this_? Not just the chill -- the air is throbbing now, a dissonant hum that seems to reverberate in my bones. The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

"Link... Something's wrong. Tell me you sense this." Vael looks as startled as I feel.

"I'm not sure; I sense _something_. What is it?"

"I don't know -- it's like the world is holding its breath or something. Magic is building." He takes a couple of steps forward, glancing around.

I look around myself. No one else seems to notice. How? The vibration is making me feel dizzy. No, someone else notices -- Princess Zelda is not too far away, glancing quickly back and forth with a worried look on her face. She feels this, too.

"What kind of magic, Vael?" The sound, the vibration is changing from a hum to a harsher buzz. It's getting stronger. It's getting closer.

"I don't know, but it's nothing good." He looks half sick now.

The magic is still building; it's going to happen soon, whatever it is. I stride over and gently take the princess' arm. "Are you all right?"

"For the moment," she replies, letting me move her back towards the wall.

The windows start rattling, quietly at first, but quickly increasing until the glass is practically ringing in its frames. A few people near the windows finally seem to notice something's happening; they're moving away, moving further into the room. Yet somehow, most of the people still don't notice.

The buzz is ringing in my ears and pounding down from the air and up from the floor, and if I let my mind focus on the sound and vibration too much, the room starts getting darker. This... I've felt this before. I grab the princess and shove her towards the wall, moving to stand between her and the rattling windows --

This is dark magic!

-- and the massive windows on the opposite wall explode inward. Shards of glass fly everywhere; I feel them strike my back and slice at my ears. People are screaming; people are running.

And someone is laughing a loud, cold, maniacal laugh.

"Greetings, people of Hyrule! I truly hope you've enjoyed this evening, as it will be your _last_! Go, my minions: destroy them all!"

The doors bang open; the sound seems far too loud. There are more screams, then, echoing off the walls and ceiling along with something else: snorting and the movement of many large things and guttural voices... and the telltale signs of a struggle.

We have to get out of here.

"Link, we've got to go!" Vael hisses, grabbing my arm.

"Where? All the doors..." the princess says; she looks terrified.

My mind reels. All the exits are packed right now, even if I don't consider the fact that there are some kind of monsters fighting their way in here! There isn't a quick way out -- wait, the research wing! The cardreader is a barrier to most people, but not to us! We'll leave the same way we came in.

"This way!" I grab them both by the arms and start towards the research wing door, taking care to stay near the wall. I'm trying not to focus on the people who run past us and the panicked looks on their faces. I... I have to get Princess Zelda out of here. The only way to rescue everyone is to kill whatever that man's minions are and probably him as well. And I don't have a weapon, nor am I really in any condition for a fight like that.

All I can do is do what I can. I try to ignore how much that thought hurts. I have to protect the princess; I _have_ to protect her! I round the final corner in the hall to the door -- and immediately dive back around it. There's something there, something _big,_ and it's trying to break down the door! It towers over us; I'm not sure how we could get past it.

"Wh...what is that thing?" Princess Zelda asks, softly, tightening her grip on my arm.

I shouldn't know, but I do. "It's... It's called a Moblin," I say. "It's not very smart, but it's really strong and really tough."

"Do you think we could fight it?" Vael asks.

I shake my head. "One, probably. But where there's one, there's a least a dozen more. Judging by all the screams, probably more than that. I don't think we can handle more than one, really." We don't have weapons, and even Vael is only capable of so many spells before he has to rest. Besides, we have to focus on getting the princess out of here. She's in danger, but her guard is nowhere to be seen; I have to keep her safe.

Footsteps approach from the other direction, and then two guttural voices yell back and forth in a language I don't know, accompanied by loud banging. Damn it; now there're two of them!

"Are they trying to break down the door?" Vael asks, narrowing his eyes. "Why would they want to do that?"

I wish I knew, but I've got a suspicion. "They're looking for something."

"What could they possibly be looking for, Link? There's nothing back there --"

"Except our research." I look over at Vael.

He sucks in a quick breath. "Shit. Well, if we can't fight this out, what do we do? We can't just stay here forever."

All the exits are blocked... on this floor. "We go up."

"Up? Link, what good is that going to do?"

I take a deep breath and shake my head. "I don't know; jump out a window if we have to! Do you have a better idea?"

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "No, no, I don't."

"All right, then. We go up. Come on." I don't wait for an answer; I start down the hallway towards the stairs. The stairwells are locked for the night, but there is the grand staircase on the edge of the great room. They can't lock that.

I lean around a corner and peek into the great room. The room is every bit as chaotic as it was before, only now the Moblins are gleefully smashing open the display cases! One of them shatters a spear as I watch. I flinch. Focus, Link; _focus_! The great staircase is blocked from view by a giant curtain of lights; the strings of lights are still hanging in neat rows. Good, the second story should be safe -- there's no way a Moblin would pass through something like that and not leave some sign of doing so.

It's not that far to the stairs, but we'll be in view of anything looking this way. There's only one Moblin that is what I would call close, so maybe...

"I don't suppose you know any invisibility magic, Princess?" Vael asks.

She shakes her head. "No, I don't."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

I slide my jacket off and drape it over the princess' shoulders; she looks up at me, worried. We're going to need to distract that Moblin. "Here, your Highness," I say softly. "You'll be a bit harder to see. Get ready, both of you. When I say go, run for the stairs and don't stop running until you get to the top."

She bites her lip but nods. "What of you?"

"I'll catch up." Farore, I hope I can. My pendant seems even heavier now, like a small weight tied around my neck. I take a slow, deep breath to try and calm myself and pick a piece of rubble up off the floor.

"Link," Vael starts, "what are you --?"

"Vael, please. Just do this." I have to distract that Moblin. I have to. This isn't supposed to be happening -- none of this! -- but I can't think about that. The Moblin is walking closer, and now it's turning its back to us...

"Go," I hiss. As they move, I step out into the great room in the opposite direction and whistle a sharp note. The Moblin starts to turn. That's when I hurl the rock in my hand at its head; I strike it in front of one ear. It snorts loudly, and then it charges me, raising a spear that I didn't notice it had before.

I really need to learn to think things through!

I dodge the first thrust, barely. But as I start to dodge the second, my boots slide on the rubble, and I fall onto my back hard. The Moblin laughs and swings his spear downwards.

All I can think to do is try to block, so I kick my feet up and somehow thankfully catch the spear with my feet. It's just as well that I wore my boots tonight! The Moblin growls and pushes down; I grit my teeth and push up. The spear slides off of my boots and slams into the floor next to me, slicing close enough to tear through my shirt and cut a thin, shallow line along the outside of my shoulder.

The Moblin laughs and raises its spear again -- and I kick it square in the snout. It grunts and staggers back, loosening its grip on the spear. I lash out at the spear and send it clattering to the floor, and then I give the Moblin another boot to the face to keep it stunned while I grab the weapon and clamber to my feet.

And then we stare at each other. I've got a weapon now, and it's unarmed, but somehow, I don't feel any safer. The Moblin grins, showing a mouth full of sharp and jagged teeth. I tighten my grip on the spear.

It's probably looking for any sign of weakness, isn't it? I let myself slump down, moving the spear so that it can help support my weight. The Moblin sneers and lunges. Now! I rock my weight to the side and then forward, grabbing the spear and thrusting it upwards and forwards as hard as I can.

The spearhead sinks into the Moblin's chest, black blood pouring out. It grunts and tries to pull itself free. I let go and jump back, because it's trying to grab me! It's not dead; why isn't it dead? It's got a _spear_ in its chest!

But it's still alive, grunting and squealing and it just keeps getting louder! I have to do something before something hears it. I don't have any weapons... just my magic. I really want to save my strength as much as I can, but I don't have a choice -- the Moblin is forcing my hand.

I dodge another swing; it's getting weaker, but not fast enough. It tries to grab me again, but I step around behind it, press my hands against its back, and focus.

"Spark!"

_Now_ it's dead. I flex my hands to try and get the feeling back into them -- not as bad as the one at the Great Palace, but that still hurts -- and head for the stairs, trying to ignore the sickly-sweet smell of fried Moblin.

"Link!" Princess Zelda! Is something wrong upstairs? Was I --?

"Well, well, well," the sinister voice says; it's close. "What do we have here? It seems this boy has some fight in him. Interesting. Why not just give up, boy? Tell me what I want to know, and maybe I'll let you live." Walking out of the chaos across the room is a man in a long, black hooded cloak. I can't see his face, but what I can see of his clothing looks a lot like a suit. Does this mean he's one of the guests at the Gala?

"I'm not telling you anything!" I yell back, tensing. And I'm not. I don't care what he offers me!

"Oh? You would throw your life away so easily?" He chuckles. "Tell me, boy. Where is the Hero's Blade?"

He's after the Hero's Blade? That's why the Moblins are trying to break into the research wing! They're after the Project's notes! But how does he know about this... and how much does he know?

"What makes you think I know?"

He laughs at that. "Boy, I know you. I know what you're good at. And I believe you have some vague idea about where this legendary sword is."

I narrow my eyes and glare. Yeah, I do. It's on my desk at home, you son of a bitch. You'll never find it. You'll _never_ have it! "I don't know what you're talking about!" I snap. "I don't know where that sword is!"

"Oh? That's a shame, Historian. Because if you don't know, you're of no use to me."

Magic gathers again. There's not a chance I can get out of range in time. Nor is there anything to hide behind, and if I run for the stairs, he'll follow me. But I don't stand a chance of withstanding whatever he throws at me, not if he's as strong as he seems to be!

Farore, there has to be something I can do! But, no -- all the magic I know is useless. Not even my spark can help me; he's too far away, and I know he's not going to let me get close.

"And if you're of no use to me," he continues, "then there's no reason for me to let you live." He raises his hands.

A word echoes in my head, over and over, louder and louder. It sounds magical, but what is it? It's not any spell I know. No, it doesn't matter; I have to try something, anything! Even a magic word that randomly appears in my head!

He thrusts his hands towards me -- and I do the same to him, screaming the strange word.

The world explodes into a brilliant flash of white light; the air splits open with a loud, thunderous _BOOM_ that shakes the ground and nearly knocks me over. Glass shatters. An alarm goes off. People and Moblins alike scream. He screams, too.

When the world fades back into focus, he's on his knees on the floor, his hands covering his face. His clothing looks singed, and his hands are covered in burns! There's something else, too, a circular pattern of jagged lines radiating out from me, their presence scorched into the floor and onto the walls.

What did I just _do_?!

"I want him captured alive!" the hooded man shrieks. "I'll make you beg to die, boy! I'll make you beg!"

I run for the stairs, taking them three at a time. So much for trying to buy us time!

Vael and Princess Zelda are standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at me in shock. "What was that spell?" he gasps.

"I don't know; just run!"

Princess Zelda lets out a small gasp as I grab her arm and start running. "Where are we going, Link?"

"There's a fire escape; maybe it's not blocked!"

Oh, it's blocked all right. A small mob of Moblins is fanning out from the escape, destroying every case... and every weapon they come across.

It's happening. My vision is becoming reality, and there's not a damned thing I can do to stop it! This... this isn't fair!

I reach up and put a hand on my chest, feeling the outline of my pendant through my shirt and the rapid pounding of my heart. I don't know _where_ that spell came from -- did one of the earlier Links know that? Is that why it just popped into my head like that? Never mind; I can figure this out later.

We run in the opposite direction and end up in a long hallway with a large window at the end. Outside is a patch of snow-covered ground, and then the equally snowy sidewalk and parking lot. I stare out. Could we jump and not get hurt? I don't know. I slam a fist against the window, rattling the glass. Even if we get out, where are we going to go? I can see people running across the parking lot and being cut down by the Moblins' spears.

They're dying, and I can't help them. What kind of hero can't save people?

"What do we do now?" Vael asks, his voice soft.

I lean against the window. I just... I feel so defeated. "I don't know. We can break this window, but I'm not sure how we're going to get down... or how we're getting away once we get down."

"You rode your bike, right?"

I nod. "I don't think all three of us can fit on it, Vael."

He makes a soft strangled noise. "That's right. Damn it. If only you had your roommate's truck..."

"There's nothing we can do about it now."

"So..." Princess Zelda says. "What are we going to do?"

Smashing the window won't be hard. I can throw something through it, or Vael can shatter it with a spell. That's the easy part. The hard part is figuring out how to get us down a story without getting hurt. Then again, the snow should help break our falls... but then we'll need to run. Where?

Everyone wants away from the museum, so I think that all of them are heading towards the main streets. Campus, on the other hand, is a lot less open, which means more hiding spots. Yeah, we could run for campus, hide between the buildings or something... find a way to contact the princess' guards and get her somewhere safe.

The building quakes in a burst of magic. I turn around and end up catching the princess as she stumbles toward me. Vael falls against the wall.

"What was _that_? Is he trying to bring the building down on top of us?" I gasp.

Vael shakes his head. "That magic feels much older than what he used earlier; I don't think it's him!"

"Who else could it be?" No time for this! I help the princess to her feet and turn back to the window; it's cracked but still intact. "Worry about that later! Vael, help me break this window!"

He just nods and whispers a quick word, and a sudden blast of wind shatters the window and sends glass shards flying out into the night. "Done."

"Do you think you can use that wind to cushion our fall?"

"I... might be able to."

Princess Zelda tugs at my sleeve. "Link, something's coming."

"Moblins?" No, not Moblins. This sounds mechanical -- like an engine. There's nothing in here that has an engine; where's it coming from? It's getting closer, getting familiar.

"That's the sound of an Epona..." I say, taking a step towards where another hallway meets this one.

And that's when he rounds the corner and skids to a halt. It's Dark, and he's on my bike! He grins at me as he jumps off.

"Thought you could use some help."

"Thanks... Did you fight your way up here?"

He holds up what looks like an oversized golden coin between two fingers. It's magical, but I don't know what it does. "A few Moblins aren't that much of a problem. I just outran them."

"Meaning they're coming this way!" Vael snaps. "You led them to us!"

"Shut up! I'm here to save your ass, and all you can do is complain? Oh, Link, catch!" Dark tosses the Master Sword to me.

I breathe a sigh of relief. See, madman? I have it! "Thanks." And I buckle the baldric on so the Master Sword hangs behind my left shoulder. I don't think I'm going to be using it, but I have it with me. I know exactly where it is.

"All right," Vael says, irritated. "If you're here to help, how are we getting out of here?"

"Through the window, of course. We'll jump out on the bikes."

Wait, _bikes_? I turn towards him; he's sitting on his bike. What did he just do, call it up from the shadow of mine or something? Maybe that's how he does it...

"Where'd that come from?"

I shake my head and climb onto my bike, wishing I hadn't left my helmet in Vael's office. "We'll explain later, Vael. For now, let's just get moving. We don't have long. Here, Princess, you can ride with me."

She nods; I help her onto the bike. Several guttural voices echo down the connecting hallway.

"All right!" Dark calls to me as Vael climbs on behind him. "Listen up, Link! I'm going to use some magic to slow them down. The first chance you get, put the pedal down and get out that window. I'm guessing you've got a plan, so I'll follow you. Got it?"

Magic? What kind of magic? "Got it."

Princess Zelda wraps her arms around my waist and buries her face in my back. I don't blame her. I'm scared, too. This is just a jump, I think. This isn't that different from all those times we jumped ramps back at Kakariko Canyon. Never mind that last time I tried a jump I crashed and broke my arm... I've done this before. I can do it again. I nod, more to myself than anything.

"I call upon your power," Dark says softly, holding the coin against his sword and raising both. The Moblins are getting closer; I can hear them.

And then Dark smirks and yells, "_Ether_!"

A bitterly cold wind swirls out, lashing down the hall and freezing the first few Moblins solid. There's more to the effect, I'm sure, but I take my chance and stomp on the accelerator. My bike speeds forward, towards the window; the princess tightens her grip...

And there's the briefest feeling of weightlessness as we fly out the window.

My bike hits the ground hard and almost falls onto its side; I wrestle with the handlebars and slam one foot onto the snow for stability and only_ just _manage to keep it upright, but I can't keep it from skidding out onto the parking lot. By the time I regain control, I can see Dark nearby, Vael clinging to him for dear life.

Dark nods at me. I nod back. Then I turn my bike towards campus and speed off. A few Moblins try to give chase, but it's the Road of Death all over again; they just can't keep up with an Epona. Thank the Goddesses for that!

Things quiet down quickly once we get onto campus. I find one of the courtyards mostly hidden between buildings and pull into it, parking and turning off my bike. Nothing can hear us; nothing can see us. We can wait here as long as we need to, and there's an emergency phone on a pole nearby we can use to call for help.

Dark pulls up beside me and parks his bike before climbing off and stretching. "That was kinda fun."

"Fun?" Vael snaps. "That wasn't fun! We could have died!"

"We didn't."

"We aren't out of the woods yet, Dark," I reply, helping the princess off my bike. "We're just away from the museum. We still aren't really safe."

"Yeah, yeah. We'll be fine. Anything else comes by, I'll hit him with a blast from this." He twirls the coin between his fingers -- no, this is a different one; it has a different symbol -- letter? sigil? -- engraved into it.

I shake my head. "All right, then. You keep an eye out while we go call for help."

With that, I escort the princess over to the emergency phone, keeping an eye out for anything unusual while she calls to get help. After a couple of tense minutes, she hangs the phone up and nods to me.

"Can I ask one more favor of you, Historian Masters?"

I laugh nervously. "Just call me Link, okay? And sure. What do you need me to do?"

She smiles. "It will be a bit of a wait before someone can get over here to pick us up, but there is a safe house set up near here. I just ask that you either stay with me until the guards arrive or take me there."

"I can take you there if you're willing to get back on my bike."

"Link! Get over here!" Dark yells.

When we get back to the courtyard, Vael is on his knees on the snowy ground, his hands clamped over his ears and his eyes tightly shut. "No, no, no! I'm not! That's not who I am anymore!"

"Vael? Are you all right?" I put a hand on his shoulder -- and I'm shoved back by a strong blast of wind. "Vael, what are you doing?"

He starts laughing, a cold, sinister laugh that sends a chill down my spine. "I don't have to explain myself to you." He stands up, his hair swaying in a breeze that seems to wrap around him. Then he opens his eyes -- his red, red eyes -- and stares at me.

That's... He isn't Vael anymore. He's -- he's -- how is this happening?

The wind swirls violently around him; I move to shield the princess from the flying snow. When the wind calms down to more of a breeze, I turn back towards him. He doesn't look like the same person anymore; he looks _evil._ And I've seen those eyes before.

"Vaati!" I force out. Why? Where's Vael?

"Ah," he says with a smirk. "So you know who I am? Good, then you know who you are dealing with." He starts walking towards me, those cold red eyes piercing straight through me. "Now, tell me: where is the Four Sword?"

"I don't know!" And I _don't_; I can dimly remember using it, but I don't know where I put it. And even if I did, after this many centuries, would it even still be there?

He starts walking towards me, sneering. "Oh, you don't? I shouldn't expect you to know. What of _you_, Princess? You must know: where is the Four Sword?"

"I do not even know what that is," Princess Zelda replies before ducking further behind me.

Vaati narrows his eyes. "You mean to say that the Princess of Hyrule does not know where the Four Sword is? You expect me to believe that?" He stops just out of my reach. "I refuse to believe you know nothing about such a powerful weapon. Now where is it?"

I narrow my eyes. "She says she doesn't know, so stop asking!" Behind him, I can see Dark sneaking in close; what is Dark planning to do, attack him?

Vaati laughs. "I'm going to find it, with or without your help. All you're doing is slowing down my search. And I warn you -- both of you -- that the longer my search takes, the less discretion I will use. So it is in your best interest to tell me now." He raises his hand.

And that's when Dark slams the flat of his sword into the side of Vaati's head. Vaati whirls around, snarling, as Dark jumps back and raises the sword.

"You!"

"Get her out of here, Link!"

I don't want to leave, but... Dark is _much _better with a sword than I am; I'm only going to be in the way. "This way, Princess."

We don't get far before we hear triumphant laughter, and it isn't Dark. I run back towards the small courtyard, only to see Dark laying on the ground in a crumpled heap, his head bent at an unnatural angle.

"Dark!"

Vaati turns towards me with a sadistic grin on his face. "I thought you were running?" He raises his hand and a blast of wind slams into me and nearly knocks me over. I hear Princess Zelda scream my name.

He keeps laughing as the wind seems to wrap around me; I can't breathe! He's going to kill me! The wind is crushing tighter and tighter against me until it's tearing at my skin. I think I'm bleeding, but I'm not sure where or how badly; I'm too numb. I'm going to die...

The Master Sword is the blade of evil's bane. Can it help me? I reach back with numb fingers and grab the hilt. It takes all the strength I have left to pull it free of the sheath. The sword flashes brightly; Vaati screams. The wind dissipates almost instantly. I suck in a quick breath and fall to one knee, holding the Mater Sword up high as it flares, glowing brilliant blue-white.

And then, Vaati is gone, his screams of pain echoing away between the buildings. I don't know where he went, but I don't care. I scramble over to where Dark lies on the snow, screaming his name.

He isn't breathing. He just lays there, his half-open eyes staring out at nothing, a thin line of blood running from the corner of his mouth. He's... he's dead. He died trying to keep us safe. This is all my fault, isn't it?

I couldn't even save my shadow...

I fall on top of him, clutching the Master Sword to my chest. I'm too dizzy to even sit up now. This has to be some kind of nightmare, right? Some kind of terrible dream. I'm going to wake up, and he's going to laugh at me for being so jumpy. Right?

_Right_?

This is wrong, I think as the world starts to fade away. Everything about this is wrong...


	10. Regressive Progression

**Regressive Progression**

I wake up; my head's spinning... I climb to my feet. Vaati -- Where's Vaati? He isn't here. That means, he must be... Princess Zelda's in danger!

"We have to hurry, Link! Vaati is no doubt already working to extract the Light Force from the princess! And I don't think she'll survive the extraction process..." Ezlo says.

"You think I don't know that?" I mutter, staggering out the door and into the courtyard. It's not the one we left; the sky is red, the grass is dying, and there are statues here -- no, people turned into stone!

Did Vaati do this?

"Link, hurry! Use the Four Sword to free them from the curse!"

That weird energy-thing? I do that, slinging the magical energy at each of the people in the courtyard in turn. It works! The now-freed people, including Minister Potho, are all too happy to fill me in on what happened: Vaati turned them to stone and did something to the castle.

...which, really, I already knew.

Inside the castle, things are even worse. The air is thick and creepy, and there are monsters everywhere. The castle feels like a dungeon now...

I start working my way through the castle, killing monsters and finding keys like usual. Vaati must be hiding. That's it; he found himself some dark corner, and now he's trying to get his great power.

He's not hurting Princess Zelda. I won't let him.

I see movement; I turn towards it. It's a mirror. I don't remember there being a mirror here... And it's a weird mirror, too. The frame is jet black, and the glass itself is heavily tinted. The image is even weirder -- it's all hazy and distorted, and is that guy with the self-righteous smirk really _me_?

My reflection looks _evil_.

Ezlo shudders above me. "I don't like the looks of this mirror, Link."

"Me neither. Should we destroy it?"

"I don't know if we can, Link..."

"I've got the Four Sword! Evil can't stand up to me!" To prove my point, I poke my reflection with the sword. My reflection gets clearer, and did it just grin at me?

What the...?

"M-maybe we should leave this for later, Link," Ezlo says, sounding worried. "This should be part of Vaati's magic... It should vanish with the rest of his curses once he's defeated..."

Yeah, and this is just wasting time. I nod and head back out into the hallway. As I do, I hear what sounds almost like laughter, but it's soft and faraway. Maybe I'm just hearing things...

xXx

I wake up in a cell, alone. Dark isn't here... did he manage to not get captured, or is he merely in another cell? I sit up and take a look around. The room has no visible doors, although there's an opening in the ceiling; I don't see anyone up there. There is a large window high on one wall, too high to reach, a window with a thick, sturdy wooden frame.

And, much to my surprise -- and relief -- I have all of my gear. Do they not see me as much of a threat, or do they simply not realize that I can escape?

I pull myself up to the windowsill with the Longshot. The Spirit Temple is across the desert, and that gate leads to the desert, so all I need to do is find a way to get through the gate.

Wow; I can see most of the Fortress from up here. Several guards walk patrols in the courtyard and on the balconies. No sign of Dark. This fortress is nothing like the castle, but... that won't really matter. Sneaking around is sneaking around. Hopefully. I wait until the guards nearest to me are looking away, and then I drop to the sandy ground and roll behind a nearby crate.

Everything is working thus far. I duck inside. I need to keep moving; once they realized that I've escaped, they will be looking for me. And it's far easier to evade capture on the move.

I slip around a corner. There's a guard here, laying unconscious on the floor. Is she sleeping? No, she looks more like she's been knocked out. Dark must have come through here -- he might still be close. Maybe I can catch up with him...

Footsteps, fast footsteps; someone's running this way! I duck back around the corner, simply because there's nowhere else to hide, and ready my shield. I don't like the idea of hurting anyone, but I can't get caught.

A man runs around the corner; he skids to a halt in front of me. "Please don't hurt me!"

"I..." I don't know what to say. Who is he and what is he doing here?

"Oh, you... aren't a Gerudo. Do you know the man in black?"

Dark? I nod.

He looks relieved. "Oh, good. He let me out. Three of my buddies are locked up in here, too. Can you help get them out? I'm not sure where they are in here, but they're here somewhere. Now I'm going back to being a carpenter!" And then he's running down the hallway behind me before I can even ask him where he saw Dark.

So Dark _isn't_ locked up. I nod to myself and head in the direction the carpenter came from. Dark must be somewhere ahead of me. I'll find him, free the carpenter's friends, and find a way through the gate. All I need to do is evade the guards...

xXx

I wake up to a flurry of noise: Midna yelling, Dark laughing, stone pounding against stone. What are they doing now? I'm trying to get some _sleep_.

"Go forth my loyal minion!"

"Loyal? If that thing could only speak, you'd see how loyal it is."

"You're just jealous because you don't have a minion."

"Actually," Midna laughs, "I have two, but thanks for your concern. And if I remember correctly, the only reason you have one at all is because of your rod."

He snickers. "Want to touch it, Midna?"

No answer. I sigh. What is he _doing_?

"Oh? Does my mighty rod intimidate you?"

"That's Link's rod, not yours. He's the one who found it."

"It's mine right now, just like this is my minion."

"I have an idea! How about you just not talk for a while?"

"That's no fun."

"Oh, I think it will be lots of fun. Now be a good little doggie --"

"You're threatening to turn me into a wolf?"

Will it give me a chance to sleep? He can't use the Dominion Rod as a wolf, at least.

"It will shut you up, yes?"

"I'll howl."

"Do that, and I will grab you by the scruff of your neck and hurl you across the room."

He chuckles. "I'll howl even louder."

Midna sighs. "How do I put up with you?"

"I'm just that damned loveable," he says; I can hear the smirk in his voice.

I groan and bury my head in my bedroll. "Not right now, you aren't..." I mutter. "I'm trying to get some sleep..."

"Oh, you're awake?" Fabric rustles, and there's a hand patting my head. "I didn't think you were awake."

I sigh. "I wasn't until you started moving that statue around."

"Sorry. Didn't think that would wake you up," Dark says, leaning down and kissing my forehead.

"That's because you weren't thinking!" Midna hisses.

"Shut up, you!"

I stare across the massive room. It's so peaceful in here now that all the evil's gone. Is this what the Temple of Time is supposed to be like? I think it is. No, I... I know it is.

"I'm still tired," I say softly, making myself comfortable again. "I'm going back to sleep."

xXx

I wake up when the wind slams the door open and buffets the room with sand. Damn it! This storm is even worse than I thought. I grab my gear and run towards the next room, yanking my mask up over my face. Why won't this damned sandstorm end?

The wind howling through the door blasts so much sand into the building that I have to go four rooms inward before I find one I can breathe in without using my mask. It's a large room, with a massive rusted chandelier hanging from the ceiling and crumbling carvings on the walls. The far side of the room is dominated by a massive door with four torches before it; the torches glow with Poe-light, giving the entire room an otherworldly look.

Is what Sabori said before true? Is this place really cursed ground? Am I going to die just for setting foot here?

No, I don't think this place is cursed, really... It was restless, once, and now it's filled with an uneasy stillness, more like someone came through and forced the restlessness out than anything else.

Why does this place feel... familiar? There's a sound echoing faintly in my head, a fast scraping of metal on metal coupled with the feel of the world slowly spinning. I put a hand to my head and close my eyes. A Stalfos -- an incredibly large Stalfos towering up out of the dirt --

I fall against the wall, gasping for breath. What is this? It seems too real to just be a dream... is it another of those visions?

I'll have to ask Sabori when I get back to camp. She might know. Until then, I should rest; I know I need it.

A soft crunch behind me, a footfall on sand. I'm not alone. I move, whirling around and drawing my scimitars, ready to face the walking dead.

What I face is a man in a long hooded cloak the color of a canyon wall. He has a sword in one hand and a massive piece of mirrored steel -- is that a shield? -- in his other.

"Easy, now..." he says, sheathing his sword. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just heard something moving around."

"What do you want?"

He waves in the direction of the entrance. "Shelter from that damned storm, that's what. Same as you." He walks closer. I can see the bottom half of his face now; his skin is deeply tanned, almost like a Gerudo's. But he can't be...

"Two swords, huh? You look like a Gerudo," he says with a laugh.

"Maybe I am," I reply. I may not be Gerudo by blood, but I'm one by training. And I'm not letting my guard down yet, because I still don't know if I can trust him. Even so, there's something about him nagging at me, telling me to put my weapons away.

"You can't be. You're a man."

"There are male Gerudo," I lie, trying not to flinch.

He smirks. "No, there aren't. There haven't been for a long, long time."

And who is he to know _that_? "What do you want?"

"I already told you, Link. Shelter."

He knows my name? I thrust one of my scimitars toward him. "Are you a man, or are you a spirit?"

He laughs again and pulls off his hood. "I've been looking for you, Link."

xXx

I wake up when King of Red Lions lurches oddly to one side. Dark's in the water, clinging to King's side, sputtering for breath and muttering curses.

"Dark...?"

"Help me in, and don't say anything!"

I do; he falls to the deck coughing. King makes an odd noise, like he's trying to hold back a laugh or something.

Dark shoots King a glare. "Shut up, boat!"

"What happened?"

"Nothing!" He snaps, wringing the water out of his hair. "Let's just go. We need to go get Makar, right?"

"Dark..." I say with a sigh. "Something happened. What was it?"

He doesn't answer; he keeps wringing the water from his clothing. He looks like he's pouting.

All right, fine. Don't answer me. "King, what happened?"

King snickers. "He fell off."

"I did not! You knocked me off!"

"No, I believe you fell. You were leaning over the side, and then you fell. I didn't intend for anything of the sort."

Dark crosses his arms. "I was looking at a fish, and then the boat rocked to the side, and," he thrusts a finger towards King's head, "you dumped me into the water!"

"I did no such thing. I merely swayed in a wave. You should not have been leaning out so far if you did not wish to fall."

Dark _hmphs_ and flops down onto the deck with a scowl. "Stupid boat. Let's get Makar and get this over with."

I shake my head and look out. In the distance, I can barely make out the silhouette of the Forgotten Forest. We're getting there.

"We'll be there soon enough, Dark."

"Not soon enough for me," he mutters. "I'm soaking wet..."

"Dark..."

"Don't even start!"

I sigh. "When we get to the Forest, you can dry off."

He looks skeptical. "Promise?"

"I promise."

xXx

I wake up much earlier than I really wanted to, but force of habit is a powerful thing; I'm up by dawn. The morning sky is red, brilliant and bloody. I admit I know little of such things, but this is an omen. It has to be.

An omen of what I can't know, but the possibilities spring to mind nonetheless. It could be a warning, or a sign that blood was shed the night before. It could even be a sign from the Goddesses that the camp was destroyed last night. No, no; I'm trying to put far too much significance on this, I think.

I hope.

He sits on a nearby wall, staring off into the distance. He doesn't move when I climb up beside him, nor does he say anything when I face him. He continues staring off into nothingness with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Can we really find this blade of evil's bane?" I ask finally.

He doesn't answer.

"I had a strange dream last night... I was on a stone platform with you and a woman and an evil, evil man, and he was fighting the three of us." I shiver. "I remember slamming a magical sword into his forehead. I remember him turning to stone... and then the oceans rained down and drowned everything. I'm not certain that my dream is real, but if it is, how are we to find something buried at the bottom of the ocean?"

"Would you rather let Ganon win?"

"I didn't say that!" Does he think I'm a coward? I'm just trying to be realistic! "All I'm saying is that if we spend all our effort chasing after a holy sword we can't find... then how _can_ we defeat Ganon?"

He doesn't say anything, but he's looking at me now.

I try not to flinch under the sudden scrutiny. "Last summer, I was helping train soldiers from the Westlands, and I overheard them once telling each other legends from their homeland. One of them mentioned that their kingdom protected holy silver arrows that were made specifically for the destruction of evil. Would those be able to destroy Ganon?"

"You don't know where they are, assuming they even exist."

"I'm certain they exist." And I am; every time I consider this, I get the feeling that I'm supposed to find those arrows. "And as for finding them... we have a better chance of finding something in the Westlands than we do a sword in the ocean."

"And what about Ganon? We can't just leave him free to do what he wants."

I sigh. "Isn't that what we were going to do to find your magic sword?" I know it's risky, but I can't face Ganon like this. I'm just not strong enough. Besides, he's... "I've heard rumors that he's looking for someone."

"Yeah," Dark Link says with a snort. "He's trying to find the Chosen Hero so he can kill you before you can kill him."

Then Ganon isn't going to stop looking just because we leave to find those arrows. We have to figure something out, because we can't let him run loose in Hyrule, but we can't defeat him without either that sword or those arrows...

xXx

I wake up in motion, the world gently rocking side to side. I look around, trying to figure out how I can sleep and move at the same time.

Dark's carrying me on his back. All right, that answers one question. Where are we? I'm certain it's the Light World, but... I don't recognize this place.

I try to ask Dark where he's taking me, but as soon as I take a breath, I start coughing violently. All I can do is cling to Dark and breathe whenever I get the chance. Then mercifully it's over, and I can try to catch my breath.

"Are you all right?" Dark asks, sounding worried.

"I think so," I say, my voice raspy and weak, before I lean my head against his shoulder. My head is spinning now, and my chest burns. I didn't think I was that sick...

"We're almost there, so you'll be all right."

"Where's there?"

"A fairy fountain. They should be able to help you."

I scowl. A fairy fountain? "Why not Sanctuary?"

Dark snarls. "You're really damned sick, and this is the closest place with people who will help you. I'm not risking you dying while I drag you all the way to Sanctuary."

That makes sense. I think. I close my eyes and focus on breathing slowly.

"Link?"

"Yes...?"

"Just making sure you're still here," he says; he sounds relieved. "We're here now; do you think you can walk?"

"There's only one way to find out."

xXx

I wake up with Layna chiming angrily in my ear.

"What is it, fairy?" I mumble, rolling away from her. "I'm sleeping."

"You said no one was ever going to come in here!"

"No," I say, glaring at my desk. "I said no one was going to come in here _without my permission. _Now stop chiming and let me sleep." I need rest; my head's fuzzy, and my throat's raw from screaming at the damned idiots half the evening.

Next time I _ever_ think Ganon is particularly cunning, I'm going to remember that he picked _Moblins_ to move our entire armory. Might as well have asked a group of Zolas to man the cook-fires while he was at it. I wouldn't have cared so much if not for the fact that there are things in that armory that I need to know I have plenty of.

"Link!" she snaps.

"Layna!" I snarl.

"There was a Moblin in here last night!"

I sit up. "What? When? While I was out?"

"No, while you were asleep. I managed to hide under the covers so it didn't see me. It was really interested in your desk."

A Moblin. In my quarters. "Did I forget to lock the door?" Maybe I did; it was late, and I was tired.

Layna sits on my shoulder. "I think it had a key."

A gods-damned _Moblin_ has a key to _my quarters_? That does it; a Moblin dies today. I climb out of bed and start getting dressed; Layna flies off my shoulder and lands on my armor sitting on its stand.

"I know that look. Nothing good ever happens when you get that look."

I glare at her. "Did I ask for your opinion?"

"Link... don't get too carried away."

I wave her away from my armor. "Too late for that, fairy. Far too late for that."

She sighs. "You remember the plan, right?"

"Of course I do; I'm the one who made it. As long as Dark does his part, everything's going to work out beautifully..." I strap on my breastplate.

"And are you doing your part?"

I narrow my eyes. "Are you questioning me?"

She flies up in front of my face. "Yes, I am! You've been here most of a year, and what have you done?"

"I'm earning Ganon's confidence, exactly like I planned."

Layna starts to say something, but then she lands on my desk and stares at me. I pull on the rest of my armor, piece by piece. Should I make it quick for that Moblin? No, no, make it slow, slow and painful. Give the rest of those incompetent idiots incentive to stay away from my quarters.

"Link..." She sounds worried.

"I'm not in the mood for it, Layna." And I'm _not._ I haven't even left my quarters today, and I'm already mad. And with the way things have been going lately, today is only going to get worse. I finish donning my armor and pull my coat over it.

"...I think I should tell the others. We need to speed things up."

I have to laugh at that. "And make Ganon suspicious? I didn't do any of this just so I can die tomorrow. This has to end, but I can't rush this."

"No, Link, you don't understand -- you're scaring me."

I strap on my sword and walk over to the door, turning towards the fairy on my desk. "If it's that bad, then leave. I'm close, Layna. This is going to end soon. I'm _not_ giving up when I'm this close, do you understand?"

And then I leave, slamming the door behind me.

xXx

I wake up; do I hear music from nearby, or am I just that out of it?

Where am I? And where's all my gear? I look around; there's a caravan nearby, and Dark's laying on the ground next to me -- all of his gear is gone, too! At least we've both got our swords, but other than that, it's like...

...like when we fell into Labrynna. Don't tell me it's happening again...

"Oh, you're awake, are you?" I know that voice.

"Impa?"

She walks over and kneels down next to me. "I'm a bit surprised to see you two here."

"Um, where's here?" It sounds stupid, but I'm more worried about where we are than looking like an idiot.

"Holodrum, of course. Although the caravan is on its way to Hyrule."

Holodrum? I've never heard of it. Then again, I'd never heard of Labrynna either... And, more importantly, the caravan is heading _home_.

"Would it be possible for us to travel with you, Impa?"

There's motion beside me; Dark's sitting up. "You aren't possessed again, are you?"

Impa crosses her arms. "I don't make a habit of that, I will have you know."

"Just checking. So," he gives her a flat look, "what brings you to this Holodrum place, anyway? Is this anything like what happened in Labrynna?"

She starts to say something, but then she smiles and points toward a red-haired woman dancing nearby. "Din found the two of you earlier; I'm certain she would like to speak with you now that you're awake."

I didn't see her earlier; I don't know how I missed her. Din's _beautiful._ She's -- she's agile and graceful and fiery and thank all that's holy I'm not saying any of this out loud. That doesn't change the fact that she's absolutely gorgeous. I'm not sure I want to go over there, because I don't think I'm going to be able to talk to her...

Dark whistles beside me. "Wow. Nice distraction, Impa, but I want an answer to my question."

Impa pushes both of us forward. "Go talk to Din, and I'll explain later."

Amazingly, Dark doesn't say anything as we walk towards Din. It's like she's flowing more than she's dancing, really. Just watching her makes me feel clumsy.

And then she stops, grinning at the two of us. "Hello! I'm glad you two are all right. What happened? I saw a bright flash of light, and then I saw the two of you laying in the grass... Are you heroes?"

"What makes you ask that?" I ask. Dark grins; he's standing up straight for once.

Din points down at my hand. "The mark you have on your hand. Impa says that's the mark of a great Hyrulian hero. Is that true?"

Well, I think, we did just save Labrynna. I guess that makes us heroes.

"It certainly is!" Dark says with a smirk.

She nods. "Will you be accompanying us to Hyrule?"

We don't get to answer. Instead, a voice booms out, "I have found you at last, Oracle of Seasons!"

I barely notice as a whirlwind blows the musicians away. All I can think is that this _is_ like what happened in Labrynna. Holodrum is in danger. Dark curses as the whirlwind grabs us, and then we're flying...

I wake up cold; my fire's out. I'm not surprised at all; there isn't much wood around here. The Great Palace looms in the early morning light, its massive shadow making it look even larger than it is.

I'm almost done now. The Triforce of Courage is in here; once I have that, I can wake up the sleeping princess.

Ganon's followers have been getting more and more desperate in their attacks the closer I get to here. It's safe to say that whoever or whatever is inside this palace isn't going to hold anything back. My mind keeps going back to what the elder in Old Kasuto told me... that what he taught me was "most powerful magic." I hope he's right.

Something tells me I'm going to need it.

I ready my gear and head towards the entrance, remembering the warnings about the magical barrier. As if in response, the air crackles for a moment and then the magic fades rapidly away. The barrier is gone. I take a deep breath. There's nothing keeping me from going inside now, nothing but myself.

I know what's inside. I don't need anyone to tell me about the deathtraps and vicious monsters, or that the strongest of Ganon's remaining men are holed up inside, waiting for the opportunity to kill me and revive their evil master. And somewhere within rests the Triforce.

I look down at the Triforce on my hand. This is my destiny. This is what I'm meant to do. I won't run away. I take one last deep breath and then start into the Great Palace.

Gods and -- no. Din, Nayru, and Farore, please watch over me.

xXx

I wake up.

Is this the hospital? No, this doesn't look like the hospital at all. I'm not sure just where I am, but... Farore, I hurt. I force myself to sit up so I can get a better look at the room; I'm covered in bandages. I don't see any splints or casts, so I don't think anything's broken.

The room looks like a bedroom. A simple bedroom: a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, all made of wood. A bookcase full of religious texts -- am I at the Temple? I could be, but why am I here?

There are holy symbols -- the Triforce plus Din, Nayru, and Farore's crests -- hanging all over the room. They're on the walls, on the door, on the windows, hanging from every piece of furniture and dangling from the ceiling. I sense magic, something strong and plentiful. Are they wards? What are they warding?

I climb out of bed; my legs feel like they're about to fall off. The rational part of my mind nags at me to get back in bed and rest, but I have to know what's going on. Wards aren't easy to make. Vael told me that once. So what is going on here to need so many wards? I don't understand...

I touch the crest of Farore hanging from the side of the bed. The magic on it makes my hand tingle, but nothing else happens. Does that mean the wards aren't meant to affect me... or that they aren't working?

A soft laugh, soft enough I can barely even hear it, and a faint wisp of warm air ghosts across my left shoulder. I turn, but there's nothing there. That sounded almost like Dark laughing, but... that can't...

"Dark?" I force out; my throat's tight.

Nothing.

Of course, there's nothing. What am I _expecting_? Dark is... Dark isn't here, and he won't ever be here again. I'm just imagining this. I'm alone. This -- this is my mind trying to cope. I stare at the floor, blinking back tears. No, I can't mourn, not until I know I'm safe.

The door opens.

"What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting!"

"If he feels up to moving around, let him. He's been in bed long enough."

A woman's voice, followed by a man's. I don't look up; I keep staring down at the floor. Go away; I don't want anyone in here. I just want to be left alone for a while.

"How are you feeling?" the woman asks.

"Where's my cousin?"

She sighs. "You can deal with that later; how are you feeling?"

_Later_? I snap my head up at glare at her; she's a priestess. "I want to know where my cousin is!"

She looks over at the man -- a healer. "What do you think?"

"He does deserve to know."

She shakes her head. "He has bigger concerns at the moment, don't you think?"

"He isn't in any immediate danger; we should tell him."

I clear my throat. "Can you please stop talking about me like I'm not here? _Fine, _you don't want to answer that." I'll pry it out of one of them later; my head's pounding and I don't want to have to listen to them bicker anymore. I need something else to focus on before I break down completely. "Would one of you mind telling me what all the wards are for?"

The priestess nods. "They're to keep you safe from the shadow."

The shadow? What shadow? "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then look and see for yourself." She points at the wall behind me and the shadow I cast on it.

It isn't my shadow. Or rather, it isn't _just_ my shadow. Even though there's no one within reach of me, my shadow has someone else's draped over it, with the second shadow's head on my shadow's shoulder. The other shadow seems fainter than mine, although I'm not sure why.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Hmm," the priestess says, as if to herself, "it's darker than it was yesterday. The wards don't seem to be helping."

I turn to her. "How are the wards supposed to help?"

She sighs. "To be honest, I'm not sure what it is, exactly, but it seems to be drawing on you for its strength. We're trying to get it away from you. We've tried to banish it more than once; it leaves when we do, but when we check on you later, it's back where it was. The wards are supposed to be slowing its growth, however... we have yet to see any effect."

I look back at my double shadow. "So... this thing, whatever it is, is deriving its power from me?"

"Yes."

I fall back onto the bed because my legs are getting shaky.

"How are you feeling?"

"I ache all over..." I say. I do; everything hurts.

"I'll get you some painkillers," the healer says, walking over and checking my bandages. "And I'll have someone bring you some food, too. I'm sure you're hungry."

I just nod. No, I'm not really hungry, but I need to eat. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Four days."

"Four days?!" I start to stand up.

The healer puts his hands on my shoulders and gently pushes me back down. "Calm down. You still need to take it easy; you're not healed yet. We'll get you some painkillers and food, and if you feel up to it after you eat, you can walk around the Temple grounds for a while. How's that sound?"

I nod, even though I really want to _leave_; there's evil loose in Hyrule, and I may be the only one who can stop it... "Why am I here?"

"Princess Zelda brought you here and asked us to take care of you."

"Where is she?" The museum! That madman might be after her! Not to mention what Vaati might be planning...

The healer smiles. "She's here, too. I'll let her know you're awake." And they leave.

I turn my attention back to my shadow. This thing is somehow feeding on me; that's what the priestess said. But shouldn't I feel weak? I don't feel weak at all; I just hurt, and that's because of all the wounds I've got. If I'm not weak, then it isn't drawing power from me. So... how can this thing derive its power from me without making me weak at the same time?

Not only that, but if this is a curse or such, I'd be able to sense it, and I don't. The only magic that's in this room apart from the many wards is the Master Sword and my own. It's odd, though; my magic feels almost the same as the Master Sword's... why is that?

I shake my head. That doesn't matter right now. What matters is that I don't sense any other magic, and I _should._ Why don't I? Is this thing not magical?

What am I doing sitting around wasting time? I've got the perfect solution to this! I get up shakily and walk over to where the Master Sword rests on the desk, picking the blade up. As usual, I feel better just having it on me, even if it does remind me of what happened to Vael. I tighten my grip on the hilt. I'm going to find you, Vaati. I'm going to track you down, and I'm going to force you to let Vael go. I want my friend back. Not only that, but there's also that madman loose in Hyrule; I've got to find him and stop him before more people get hurt.

First, though, I have to worry about myself. I want to slip out of here and head off in search of either of those two, but... if this thing is slowly eating me, I have to stop it. I can't save Hyrule if I'm dead, and I can't die until I've given everything I can. I'm not dying like this. I'm _not_!

I walk over to the wall my shadow is cast on and slam the flat of the Master Sword against the wall where the strange second shadow falls, commanding the blade to flare its power. The blade does so, answering with a flash of light so bright I have to narrow my eyes and turn my head.

The shadow seems darker in the brilliant light, but it's still there when the light fades. It isn't evil, then, or the Master Sword would have burnt it away. But if it isn't evil, what is it? Why is it attached to me like this?

I lean against the wall; why am I so dizzy all of a sudden? No, I know why -- I'm weak and I'm hurt, and yet I'm still using the Sword's power, my power. I stagger back to the bed and fall onto it. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all.

I set my sword on the bed beside me and stare over at my shadow. This should be scaring me; why isn't this scaring me? I'm not the slightest bit scared. For some reason, that strange shadow makes me feel safe. And that doesn't make any sense at all.

Maybe the priestess is wrong about this... and maybe she's right. Maybe the shadow is trying to lull me into a false sense of security so it can make its move. And maybe I'm just being paranoid. I close my eyes and sigh. Its presence is comforting, and right now, I need all the comfort I can get. Everything's spiralling out of control...

I wake up to the sound of voices, none of which I recognize. I sit up. The Master Sword still rests beside me on the bed, only now it's in its sheath.

The priestess is back, along with several other people in priests robes. They've got a lot of tools with them, too, like they're getting ready to do some kind of ritual or spell.

"My apologies," the priestess says. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"What are you doing?"

She glances down at something in her hands. "We're going to banish the shadow again."

"I thought you said it always comes back?" That implies this is a waste of time.

"We're going to try a different method. It will not bother you if we do so now, will it?"

"No." I fall back against my pillow and scowl up at the ceiling. If they have to do this, I'd much rather they do it while I'm awake so I know what's going on.

They start chanting, and magic starts to build. I close my eyes. I don't want to see this. I do my best to ignore it, even when the magic begins to tug at me.

But I can't ignore it for long.

The magic gets stronger and starts yanking at me, like it's trying to pull me out of my body! I grab the bed and grit my teeth. Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop! But it doesn't; the priests' chanting seems to get louder and louder as the air in the room gets heavier. The magic builds until it's practically screaming in my ear _let go let go let go_ and pulling me away from the room and the noise into the silence of nothing.

Something is going wrong! Why is it targeting _me?_

The magic keeps pulling harder and harder, trying to wear me down. I can't keep -- no, I won't go! _I won't_! Someone, please, make it stop! I can't hang on much longer...

My hand fumbles across the bed; where's the Master Sword? It was right here! I have to stop this, or I'll...

The magic yanks hard, and it almost pulls me out of my body entirely. There're arms around me now, wrapped tightly around my chest, and there's weight against my shoulder. I don't know what or who it is, but that's enough to keep me hanging on.

My hand finds cool steel as the magic yanks me again. I grab the hilt and scream, because I'm losing my grip on myself.

I won't go! Make this _stop_!

The air is filled with the sound of breaking glass as the magic around me shatters; I hear people yelling, but I can't make any of them out. I force my eyes open even as the blinding light of the Master Sword's power is still flaring. Someone is leaning over me. He looks down, but I can't really see his face. All I can make out is his mouth; he's grinning broadly enough to show off a pair of fangs.

And then he's gone, fading with the Master Sword's light. The room is silent, the air completely still. I want to look around, but I can't move.

Sound returns with a rush, as everyone in the room except for me all starts talking at once. I don't even try to understand any of it; I'm too worried about trying to move to care what they're screaming about.

"Out! Everyone out!" I think that's the priestess, but I'm not certain. Whoever it is, she sounds half-frightened.

There's another flurry of noise as the room empties. By the time the noise goes away, I can turn my head. The room is a complete and total wreck now. Wards lie broken on the floor and pieces of them hang from the walls and ceiling. All of the furniture has been shoved away from the bed. Magical tools and other things I can't identify lay scattered across the floor, apparently wherever their users dropped them.

The priestess is staring at me, her eyes wide. Her robes are askew and her hair is falling out of its bun. For some reason, all I can think of is something Vael told me once, after he hurt himself testing a ward: "Magical backlash can be painful."

"Are you all right, Priestess?" I ask, hoping she can hear me.

She doesn't act like she does, continuing to stare at me. No, she isn't looking at _me_; she's looking at something above me. I look up. There's nothing there. What is she looking at? Something's scaring her.

"Priestess?"

I hear that soft, ghostly laugh again. She gasps and steps back.

"What manner of monster are you?"

Is she talking to me...? "Priestess, what are you --?"

She holds the Triforce hanging around her neck out in front of her. "Get away from him, you foul creature!"

The shadow -- she's talking to the shadow. She can see it?!

"What is it doing, Priestess?"

"Lay still; I'll get it away from you."

Isn't that what she was supposedly doing when that magic was yanking at me? Whatever it is she's been trying, it doesn't seem to be working. The shadow isn't leaving.

I hold the Master Sword against my chest. The shadow isn't evil; I know that. It has withstood the Master Sword's power not once, but _twice, _and it's still here. And when she tried to banish it just then, it was as if the magic targeted me... but why would it do that? I thought they were trying to banish the shadow clinging to mine... Wait just a minute; the magic could target me if it had been aimed at _my _shadow... Is that it?

The priestess chants a spell, and the room is awash with holy light.

I can see the man leaning over me again. He's not looking at me; he's focused on the priestess. I still can't make out his face, but I can see him better now. His jaw is tense. Tanned skin. Black hair falling to his shoulders.

...it all makes sense now. That's why the magic affected me -- because everyone's been targeting my shadow!

Magic is building again. "Be gone, monster!"

"No!" I yell, sitting up, still clutching the Master Sword. "Leave him alone!"

The priestess stares at me in shock. "You don't understand what you're saying, boy! We have to get it away from you before --"

"If you do that, you're going to kill me! It isn't hurting me, so leave it alone!" I rip my sword out of its sheath. "This is a holy sword, isn't it?" She nods. Of course she knows; a priestess would recognize a holy weapon. "Then tell me this: if this shadow is evil as you claim, then how can it tolerate being so close to a holy sword?"

She looks back and forth between where the man is and my sword several times before pressing her lips into a thin line. "That isn't enough proof. It may just be shielding itself so that it..." Her eyes widen. "How is it...?"

How is it _what_? I want to ask, but I don't.

She looks away. "Very well, then... but I will be keeping an eye on you to ensure your safety."

"As you wish," I say. Fine, she and the healer can watch over me like hawks for all I care; just leave us alone.

"And I will inform the princess about this," she says, stopping at the door and looking back at me. "I hope for your sake that you are correct about this..." And then she leaves, easing the door closed behind her.

I fall back onto the bed. I'm so exhausted now...

I wake up to the sound of soft humming. The Master Sword is again in its sheath, laying beside me on the bed. There's no one in the room but me.

"Dark...?" That was all just a crazy dream, wasn't it? It wasn't real, and Dark's still dead and...

"Yes?" His voice is soft.

"You -- you -- I thought you were dead!" Is... is this a dream? I blink back tears.

He chuckles. "It takes more than that to kill me."

"Why can't I see you?" I can't; his voice makes it sound like he's sitting at the head of the bed, but there's nothing there.

"Because I haven't completely recovered yet; let's see how long it takes _you_ to remake yourself. I _could_ be almost done now, but that bitch and her lackeys had to keep interfering." He kisses the side of my neck.

I can't hold the tears back any longer. "You were dead!"

"Shh... I'm here, okay, Link? I'm here." He leans against me; I can feel the warmth of his body against mine, even if I can't see him. I try to grab him, but I can't, so I grab the Master Sword instead and pull it against my chest again.

"You were _dead_! I thought I'd never -- never see you again!"

He wraps his arms around me. "Everything's going to be fine, Link. I'm _right here_. I know you can't see me right now, but I'm here."

"How? I saw you...."

"I'm your shadow, remember? As long as you're alive, I can do like I'm doing right now and remake myself. Calm down."

I _can't._ I can barely even believe this is real -- and there's still the chance that this is all just some crazy dream -- but that's Dark's voice...

I don't know how long we stay like this. He strokes my hair and whispers in my ear until I finally manage to calm down.

"See?" he says once I get the tears under control. "It's going to be all right."

This seems too real to be a dream, and I'm certain this isn't a memory, so... this is _real._ This is really happening. He's really here.

I feel him shift until he's laying beside me. "Are you all right now?"

"I think so..." I say, wiping my face. "I just keep wondering if this is a dream or not."

Dark snickers. "Ask me that in morning."

"Are we really going to be able to do this?"

"Do what?"

"Save Hyrule... I thought I'd failed by letting you die, Dark. How can I _do _this?"

He laughs softly before nipping at my neck. "The same way you always do. By being stubborn and courageous. Don't worry about it, Link. We'll get through this. We always do."

"...always?"

"Yeah, _always_. It might not work out the way we mean it to, and it doesn't always end the way we want, but we always get through the fighting as best as we can. Now get some sleep, Link. We both need the rest."

I pull the Master Sword closer. "Dark... You'll be here... when I wake up, right?"

"Of course I will."


	11. Shards

_Author's note: I just want to say that I'm sorry about the wait, but also that I'm very grateful for all the reviews and support. Thanks a lot, everyone._

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**Shards**

The museum looks like a warzone. All of the windows are broken and covered in bright yellow tape. There are holes in the walls, also covered in tape, and strange marks on the stone pillars near the main entrance. The ground outside seems free of bloody snow and glass, though what I can see through the windows is just as debris-strewn and damaged as I remember.

I count no less than five guard vans -- one of which has "Mobile Investigations Unit" painted on the side in large letters -- and three vehicles with the royal crest on their doors in the parking lot. Several investigators stand near the main entrance, having some kind of discussion.

One of them notices me. "Excuse me, sir, but this area is off-limits."

I hold up my keybadge. "I'm Historian Masters with the Royal History Project. I was told that I could come inventory my office today."

She takes my badge and scrutinizes first it and then my face before turning to one of the others. "Let me see that roster for a moment." He hands her a clipboard; she skims the top few pages.

I reach up and rub the bandage on my left cheek mostly to give my hand something to do. I'm still covered in bandages, but I feel a lot better than I look thanks to Dark and his potions.

"I'm sorry for the wait, Historian Masters, but we're still conducting our investigation. I'll escort you to the research wing."

"If you're investigating, is it all right for me to box up my things?"

She nods. "We figured that the best people to determine what is and isn't missing are the people who know what belongs in there. We have no need of your full inventory, but if you should determine something is missing, we would like to know about it."

"I'll let you know if I find anything," I say, looking around. The museum is in shambles. Broken glass and fragments of wood and metal lay everywhere -- though it seems most of the shattered weapons have been picked up. I feel like I'm going to be sick. It's all gone. All of that history, all of that knowledge, all of that _beauty_... gone forever.

And all because some madman is so terrified of the Hero's Blade that he wants it destroyed. That's not good enough! There's _nothing _that could pass as justification enough for all this senseless destruction. Without history, we have nothing_._ We modern people are who we are because of the nightmares our ancestors faced and the dreams they chased. We build the future for the next generations just as the previous built our present for us.

It's a strange thought, but right now, I find myself wishing that he _had_ known where the Master Sword was that night. I'd rather have him trying to kill me than destroying what belonged to all of Hyrule...

I look out across the Great Room as we pass it. The massive ring of jagged scorch marks is still there, though now there are strings and numbers on cards scattered across it -- it's just another piece of evidence to the investigators.

"_I can teach you most powerful magic," _an old man's voice echoes in my head.

"Here we are," the investigator says, stopping by the shattered remains of the door. "I'm assuming that you've got it under control from here?"

"I believe so, yes."

She nods. "Should you need any help, just ask for it. Oh, I'm assuming you were here the night of the attack -- have you given a statement yet?"

"Yes, I have." That's a lie; I haven't had the chance, really. The healers and priests at the Temple didn't let me leave until this morning, and that almost didn't happen -- even with the Master Sword as evidence, I've spent the last three days trying to convince them that Dark isn't some kind of soul-sucking monster.

I haven't seen Princess Zelda. That's not a surprise, given the circumstances. I sigh. Whenever I _do_ see her, I owe her an explanation as to how the man she saw die can reappear almost completely unhurt a few days later. I don't know how I'm going to explain it. Maybe I should let Dark explain himself...

"Inventory isn't going to do itself," Dark says, poking my shoulder.

When did the investigator leave? I shake my head. "Did she say anything before she left?"

Dark shrugs. "Something about letting you get to your work. Nothing important."

I sigh and step slowly through the door. The hallway _reeks_ of Moblin. Papers and bits of rubble lay strewn across the hallway, and here and there are more of those evidence markers. I make my way slowly down the hall, trying not to focus on how much it hurts to see this place torn up.

It isn't easy, but I force myself to look inside each office as I pass it -- the doors are all hanging wide open, with the contents of the office scattered all around the room and out into the hall.

My door, on the other hand, is split in two. The bottom part lays on the ground while the top hangs from a mostly-broken hinge. It's strange; the break in the door is oddly straight, as if it was from a single strong blow. A large weapon, or maybe some kind of spell... either way, someone was determined to get into my office. Why?

"_Boy, I know you. I know what you're good at. And I believe you have some vague idea about where this legendary sword is."_

I swallow hard. Whoever that madman is, he knows too much about the Project... I don't like this at all.

My office is completely and totally ransacked. Everything is on the floor, torn and broken; the desk has a large crack running down its back; and that cracked little window is shattered. I kneel down and pick up a book, flinching as a clump of pages slides out and to the floor.

Dark shakes his head. "So, how do you want to do this? Work inward from the door?"

To be honest, no one spot is any better than the other. No matter what, it's a pile of debris that used to be notes and texts and logbooks, and it's up to us to salvage whatever we can.

I have to pick up the pieces of what used to be my work. How am I supposed to figure out what's missing? I can't tell what anything _is._

I shake my head and then get to work. That's how Dark and I spend most of the day, carefully boxing up papers and broken books and the like and taking meticulous notes on what we find. We don't talk; the research wing is eerily silent.

Finally, I reach the point where I have to take a break. I walk over to the empty windowframe and look out. There's a small breeze outside; it plays with my hair.

And I have to break the silence. "What do we do now?"

"What do you mean?"

I turn around to face the room -- between the two of us, we've got most of the floor picked up. "That madman is out there somewhere, looking for the Master Sword. I don't even know where to start."

Dark waves his clipboard at me. "We'll see what those bastards took and go from there. There aren't any copies of your sketchbooks and notes, are there?"

"The newer stuff, no. But all my books from when I was at Eldin College... Professor Sahasrahla has copies of them in his archives. Why?"

"That way we know what information our enemy managed to get his hands on. Think about it -- if we know what he knows, we'll be better able to predict where he's going to strike."

He's got a point. If we can figure out where he'll be ahead of time, then maybe we can stop him.

I lean back against the windowsill. That's not the only problem. "What happens to the Project?"

"Don't know."

Considering the damage, the museum itself is going to need heavy repair work to get the building stable enough to be used again... and that doesn't factor in the fact that there's nothing left to display. The Project might be moved, or it might be shut down.

What am I supposed to do if that happens?

No, no, there's no reason to dwell on that. I don't know much of anything for certain right now; it won't do me any good to start making assumptions. I rub my temples and sigh.

Something snaps against my chest. I look up. Dark's aiming a rubber band at me.

"What are you doing?"

"You're moping. Stop that."

"All right, then, what am I supposed to be doing?"

"Well," he says with a smirk, "I remember the healer saying that you should still be resting."

I should be, but how can I? I may not know exactly what happened the other night, but I do know that I have to do something about it. Hyrule is in danger.

Another rubber band strikes my chest. "Dark..."

"No, I'm not going to stop. Link, what good is it going to do anyone if you rush off like an idiot and get yourself killed? One thing at a time; you got that? Today, we're picking this place up. Tonight, we're going to figure out what's missing. Tomorrow, we'll go from there."

I nod.

"Someone in here?" a voice calls from the hallway. Ralph leans through the door. "Oh, okay, it's just you. I thought for a second someone had managed to get past security..." He smiles at me, but it's forced. "Er, who's he?"

Dark is... Farore, what's our explanation again?

"I'm Link's cousin; I came here to give him a hand."

Ralph narrows his eyes. "I see..."

"Ralph, have you heard anything from the rest of the team?" He's Chambers' assistant, and Chambers is the head of the Project; if anyone knows what's going on here, it'll be one of them.

"Well, several of the others are in the hospital, so it'll be a while before they can go through their things; I'm trying to work out a way to get their things out of here." He crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe. "Oh, the History Department's going to let us use one of their lecture halls as a storage room, at least until we get more permanent facilities lined up."

"So do I need to take my stuff there?" I'm not surprised to hear that; we're connected to that department, after all.

"Nah. You can leave the boxes here; I've got a few students coming over in a couple of days. I'll have them do all the heavy lifting." He grins. "Apart from that, well, the investigators want to know what's missing and what's damaged, and... that's all I know."

That's not much. "Where's Chambers?"

"Not quite sure. He's probably trying to find us a new place to work. Oh, have you heard from Ziota? He hasn't gotten in touch with me, and there hasn't been any answer at his place, so... he's okay, isn't he?"

No, he's not. Vael's possessed by an evil sorcerer from my past. "Last I knew, he was still in the hospital."

Ralph shakes his head. "Damn. I guess I should add his office to the list of ones I need to take care of, don't I?"

"We can take care of it when we finish in here," I say. The thought of some random student boxing up Vael's things just doesn't feel right. "I mean, I don't have any way of knowing what might be missing, but my cousin and I can at least box everything up. Besides, I'm sure you've got a lot to do already."

"Well... if you want to, you can. I appreciate the help. And speaking of help, I should probably get out of your way, shouldn't I? You're trying to work in here, and I've got plenty I need to take care of myself."

I nod at him. "If you need some help, let me know. I'll do what I can."

"For now, just make sure all of your things are taken care of. See you around."

I don't even know how torn up Vael's office _is_. Good one, Link; I just volunteered to clean a room I haven't seen.

"I'm going to go check Vael's office. I'll be right back."

"Suit yourself," Dark replies.

The door to Vael's office is closed. That's a bit odd; all the other doors are wide open. I take a deep breath and force the door open.

The office is clean. Clean and _empty_. The furniture -- cracked and damaged -- sits in all the right places, but there's nothing else. No books or lamps or _anything_ to indicate this room belonged to anyone. I step inside and look around. What's going on here? This is supposed to be Vael's office!

There has to be an explanation, I tell myself. Even though nothing else has been cleaned at all -- even though today's the first day anyone's been allowed in this wing...

...and Vaati can teleport. Is that it? If so, that can't be good. That would mean that Vaati has all of Vael's notes. No, that doesn't matter! Vaati's possessing Vael; he already knows everything he could possibly want to know about the Project.

I fall into the chair and put my head on the desk. What good is it that I have the Master Sword? I couldn't save any of the people the Moblins killed. I couldn't even protect Vael.

I shouldn't have changed my mind. I should _never_ have agreed to displaying the vase, no matter what Chambers said. If that vase had been in storage... the museum would still have been attacked. They were after the Master Sword, not the vase. From the looks of it, those Moblins would've broken the vase whether it was on display or in storage; they were out to cause as much damage as they could.

And I couldn't do a thing to stop them. If only I was stronger...!

xXx

Vaati wanted his stuff. At least, that's what it looks like to me. Well, he's had a week to come in here, and it isn't like sneaking past those guards would be any huge feat for a _sorcerer_.

Link's asleep, his head on his arms. He's frowning. I think he's dreaming; at least it doesn't seem to be a nightmare.

I don't want to wake him up; he needs the rest. Hmm. If he's sleeping and I've got all of his stuff boxed up, then... I might as well take a good look around here.

Vael's office isn't the only empty one. The large one at the end of the hall is, too. Judging by the size, it must be Chambers' office. Apparently Ralph works a lot faster than Link or I can. Speaking of which, where _is_ Ralph? I haven't heard him leave, but I don't see him anywhere. Hmm.

No, wait, _there_ he is -- he's in another office, stacking boxes into a neat pile. Must be his. I start to wander away but stop when I hear him chanting. He knows magic?

He does. I turn back around just in time to see Ralph and the pile of boxes vanish. Well, that explains the oddly clean offices. I'm not sure I see the point in burning all the magic to teleport, but then I tend not to rely on my magic.

If he's using teleportation magic, then what was that line of shit about students doing the heavy lifting for? It would be just as simple to tell the truth... unless he doesn't want anyone to know that he's doing it. Hmm. I wonder; are those boxes over in the history building, or are they somewhere _else_?

Maybe Ralph doesn't think the storage facility is going to be safe enough. If that's the case, I agree with him. I made a point of boxing all of Link's notebooks and sketchbooks -- everything with _his_ notes in them -- separately. They're coming home with us, just in case. Whoever ransacked the office didn't take them all, and I'm not taking any chances of someone deciding to help himself to more of them.

I go back to Link's office to make sure the boxes are still there, and while I'm there, I drag the box of notebooks and sketchbooks behind the desk, where it's hidden from the door. Just in case.

Link is still asleep. Good.

I slip out into the museum proper, heading for the main hall. I'm not sure what I'm trying to find, really; I know what happened. Everything that could be destroyed is in pieces now. There's blood everywhere, as well as gashes and grooves and cracks from weapons and spells. This place is clearly what's left of a battlefield.

The investigators have _everything_ covered in little pieces of paper and string. It looks pretty stupid to me, really. They're wasting time figuring out what order everything happened in. Does it really matter what order the Moblins ransacked the place? Point is, someone ordered a bunch of Moblins to destroy everything and kill everyone. The only detail that means _anything_ is the name of the bastard responsible for the attack.

I stop near the grand staircase; a length of bright yellow string connects two dark skid marks on the stairs. Of course the investigators want to try to put all the pieces together. They want to make the attack make sense.

Idiots. Always looking for meaning in the wrong places.

The huge scorch on the floor is more interesting to me. It's definitely the result of magic, and it takes some damned powerful magic to burn such a complicated pattern into the floor. I recognize the pattern, too.

Thunder.

Things got worse than he told me if he needed to use _that. _I scowl. Doesn't matter now, seeing as he's all right, but _damn it_, Link. I'm not going to see you die young again, not if I have anything to say about it!

I finally end up at what's left of the Project's exhibit. The case holding the vase looks like something large and heavy has been thrown into it; a picture hangs in ragged tatters along the back of the case, and nothing seems to be missing. So... was the vase broken for a reason or just because it was there?

The vase is now several large, jagged shards of dark ceramic, but there's something else: glass. Small, broken pieces of dark gray glass. Were they inside the vase?

I lean in for a better look. Once I find an angle that doesn't catch the light and gleam, I see my reflection. Pieces of a mirror, but there's something about my reflection -- it's hazy and distorted, and my eyes almost look like they're glowing.

This... I know this. I've seen it before, somewhere long, long ago. I reach up and pick one of the shards up. It isn't just my reflection the mirror shard distorts: it's everything it reflects. The museum in the mirror is an even darker and more desolate place than the one I'm standing in.

Damn it, why can't I remember what this thing is? It's _important_. The shard hums in my hand, almost like it's calling me.

"What do you want?" I demand, even though I know it can't answer.

"What do you think I want, little shadow? I want what belongs to me."

_Vaati!_ I whirl around and draw my dagger. _Din damn it,_ I should have brought my sword with me. Why didn't I bring my sword with me?

He smirks and crosses his arms. "What's this? Are you threatening me, little shadow?"

Something I can't quite grasp is nagging at me, but I ignore it and thrust my dagger towards him, tightening my other hand around the mirror shard. "What's it look like? I don't know what you want, but I _do_ know that I'm not going to let you have it."

Vaati flickers, and then he's right next to me. I start to move, start to swing, but he just leans in and whispers a single word. It's ancient, in a language I'd half-forgotten I ever knew at all, but somehow I still recognize it.

"Stop."

I do.

I don't _want_ to, but something in that word -- some kind of spell -- locks my limbs in place and traps me mid-motion. Whatever that spell is, it's only got me from the neck down. Lovely, I can still talk. Does he know? Is he going to try and force something out of me? Good luck with _that_, bastard. I won't tell him a damned thing he wants to hear.

I glare at him.

Vaati laughs and runs a finger down my cheek. "Now, now... I see the centuries have only made you bolder, little shadow. This time you choose to attack me directly."

"As opposed to what?" I snap.

He smirks. "I suppose I'll just have to punish you more this time, won't I? Then again, if you answer my questions, maybe I'll overlook the fact that you tried to aid in my destruction..."

"And if I don't?"

"Last time, I left you for dead... This time, I will make you beg to die."

Left me for dead? When did he...?

"Now... are you going to cooperate, or do you still have your stupid delusions of being a hero?"

"_You're his shadow, aren't you?" _a woman says deep in my head; her voice is barely audible, the words ancient. "_If you are his shadow, and he is a hero, then does that not make you a hero as well? You have no reason to fear the light."_

_Can it be that simple?_

Of course it can! That's how it's always been... right?

"_You fool!" Vaati screams, that massive eye narrowing dangerously and piercing me with a glare. "Did you think I would just let you walk away with her?" _

_Magic hits me, hot and burning and bright -- _so bright!

I snap my eyes shut and suck in as deep of a breath as my frozen body will let me. What is all of this?

_Even as far away as I am from the battleground, I can hear the fight. Even over Vaati's booming laughter, I can hear them yelling._

_I stagger to my feet and grab the first big thing I see -- a chair. I can't fall over now; they need me, damn it! Vaati's going to tear them apart if I don't... I yell and hurl the chair._

_The mirror shatters, shards of jagged glass raining down to the tile floor. Vaati screams in the distance._

_My knees give out. I fall, gasping for breath. I think one of my wounds just tore itself back open, but I'm too numb to tell. I look over at the distant battle. _

_Vaati isn't dead. Of course he isn't, but without his precious mirror to draw strength from, Link can stop him. The four Links can stop him. _

_The world's spinning now -- guess I really pushed it throwing that chair. My fingers fumble along the ground, trying to find something to hang onto. They find something cool and smooth, and I pick it up. A piece of the Dark Mirror. I hold it up and watch the light play off it until the sounds of battle all stop, because there's not much else I can do._

_I'm not dead. Why would I think that? The Mirror brought me from the shadows, brought me to life; I guess part of me thought I'd die with it. I wrap my hand tightly around the little piece of glass, not caring when it digs into the skin of my palm. I'm not dead. The dead don't bleed, not like this._

_When I open my hand again, the glass is gone. Where'd it go?_

"_Shadow Link!" _

_I turn my head towards them -- all four of them, battered but alive -- and I can't keep the grin off my face. "How'd you like that? Always running ahead of us, never looking back... but this time it was the shadow that saved y'all..."_

The spell holding me in place is the only thing that keeps me from falling to my knees. That was -- that was -- that was the me I can't remember. That was who I was before I woke up in the Room of Illusions!

The glass in the vase -- it's the Dark Mirror! Is that why Vaati wants it, so he can fix it?

"What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost, little shadow," Vaati whispers in my ear. "Maybe you're willing to talk to your master now. Tell me: where is the Four Sword?"

I _want_ to tell him where he can stick his questions, but I hear myself answer. "I don't know." _What_?

"Oh? Then what is the sword your idiot friend used against me?"

"The Master Sword." I can't make myself stay quiet. _Damn it, _he's going to learn everything, and I can't stop him! Why can't I fight his control?

_Because he's the one who created me,_ something whispers in my head.

No, he _isn't._ There are exactly two things responsible for my existence: the Dark Mirror and _Link._ Not Vaati. I grit my teeth. The mirror shard in my hand hums stronger against my skin, and a weird cool feeling starts spreading up my arm and into my chest. Another spell? No, it doesn't feel right for that.

"And where is this Master Sword at right now?"

"It's --" I force myself to bite back the words, tightening my grip on the shard. Wait, I can move, even if it's just a little!

Vaati narrows his eyes. "As defiant now as you were the last time I saw you. How did you survive? I left you for dead."

I honestly don't know. I think I may have died, but... There's a break in my memory, some event that I can't remember much before except for vague bits and pieces that don't make sense. I think death does that, or maybe reincarnating is it. _Something_ happens to create an end and a new beginning -- it happens to Link every time.

Link... Din damnit, I left Link _asleep_. What if Vaati found him before me? What if Link's dead?

No, no, no. Link's alive; I can still feel him.

I flex my fingers around my dagger. Not much, just enough to know I can. Vaati is talking, looking irritated, and he doesn't seem to realize that I'm breaking free of his spell. What he doesn't know is going to hurt him in a moment.

"Where is the Master Sword?" Vaati demands, his face twisted in rage. "I know where he is, you know. I _will_ kill him if you don't answer me."

Icy fire stings into my palm, and then it shoots up my arm. And then I'm moving, picking up right where I left off in my whirling strike. "That's what you think, you son of a bitch!"

His eyes widen and he jumps back, but he's not fast enough. My dagger slices a thin line across his stomach.

Vaati glares at me. "You dare strike me?!"

"You're damned right I dare!" I snarl, lunging at him again.

He flickers again, and then he's gone. Not just somewhere else in the room, but _gone._ And so are the shards of vase and the Dark Mirror. _Shit,_ when did he take them? Must've been while that memory was attacking me.

"Damn it!" I yell. He's gone. He's gone, and he has the Dark Mirror... or at least however much of it was inside the vase. That couldn't have been all of it -- I remember a huge mirror in a massive frame that towered over me and was as wide as my spread arms. All he has is some broken glass. It might not even have any power after untold centuries. I open my fist. If I still had the shard, I could ask Link if it's magical or not. But, just like in that memory, it's gone.

If there was ever a time I needed Link's ability to sense magic -- _Link_!

Is that where Vaati went?

I run for it, weaving around the larger pieces of rubble and hopping or stumbling over the smaller. I can't slow down; I have to get to him!

I skid to a halt outside Vael's office, grabbing the doorframe so I don't fall. "Link! Are you all right?"

He shifts under his jacket _-- jacket? _-- and blinks sleepily at me. "Dark...? Is something wrong?"

"I'll explain later. C'mon, we have to get out of here."

"What is it?" He sits up, the jacket falling off of his shoulders. He tenses, and then he looks down at his jacket. "Wh-where did this come from?"

Vaati's toying with us. "Vaati was here."

"_What_?" Link jumps to his feet. "He's here?"

"I don't know where he is right now. That's why we have to get out of here. Let's _go."_

He picks his jacket up and slowly looks it over before giving me a grim look. "All right."

xXx

Dark hasn't said a word since we got back to the apartment. He's sitting on one end of the couch with his sword in his lap, staring off into nothing.

I turn my attention back to the box with my notebooks. I'm missing two. Masters K2 and K3 -- two of the three sketchbooks I filled during the summer spent studying that ruined tomb in Kakariko. I kept meaning to take K1 back after I had Dark look at that one sketch, but I never did. It's just as well, now. If I _had_ taken it back, it would be missing, too.

Let me see... K1 is mostly tomb exteriors and stones, K2, if I remember right, has the interior of what we all thought was an old temple, and K3...

K3 has all the sketches I took of that half-crumbled, hidden passage that winds its way deep into the mountain -- although I don't really know where it leads, and my compass never would work right inside the passage -- to dead end at a brick wall covered in more engravings.

I don't get it. What could be so important about those sketches? Then again, I can't remember exactly what any of that looks like. There must be something in there that I'm forgetting! I'm going to have to go to Eldin College and look through the copies if I want to know for certain.

I shake my head and grab the remote. News, check the news; see if anything's happening. Nothing that hints at that madman or Vaati making any moves, which is comforting. Partway through, the broadcast focuses on a story about the attack on the museum. A week. It's been a week. I sigh. Dark and I are a week behind.

I'm not really listening. I don't need to; I've got a better idea what happened than they do.

They're interviewing Chambers. I lean forward. He looks... well, not too terrible, all things considered. I can't see him below his shoulders, but he's wearing dark sunglasses and his entire face is a deep, angry red, like he's got a bad sunburn. But he's able to stand around and be interviewed, so he can't be that badly injured, can he?

I turn the volume up.

"...the Royal History Project? I understand that the Museum was your home."

"Well," his voice is raspy, "for now, we're focusing on cleaning up the mess. We're doing everything we can to assist the investigators, and we're all hoping for the best. At the moment, there isn't much else I can say."

We're all hoping for the best... I don't like the sound of that at all. He didn't say the Project was canceled... but would he just announce that on the news like that? Probably not; we've always had a certain level of discretion.

I haven't even checked to see if anyone's called! I head for the answering machine -- the notepad next to it has a little list: "bunch of calls from your coworkers about whether or not you were alive. Nothing important. Oh, there's one message left. Listen for yourself, 'kay? Oh, and you'd better be glad that priest called to let me know you were all right, or I'd've been hunting you down! You had me worried sick! Glad you're okay, man."

Thanks, Mikau. I think I owe you one for this. I play the message.

"Masters, this is Professor Chambers. I'd rather tell you this in person, but I also want to make sure you hear this before the news gets ahold of it, so I'll have to leave this as a message. The Project is being suspended for the next six months. At that time, it will be determined if the Project is worth keeping, or if it should be terminated. I wish I had better news, but I don't. I can't say if they'll keep it going or not. If you need a reference for anything, let me know, and I'll be glad to help you. Be well." _Click._

Suspended for six months. Pending review to continue beyond that.

It's over.

I fall onto the couch and put my head in my hands. It's _over._ What am I supposed to do now? The Project is the whole reason I _moved_ here to Northcastle! It's not necessarily over yet, I remind myself. In six months, it's up for review.

Even if it gets reinstated, I've got to find a way to support myself for six months.

"What am I supposed to do now?" I mutter.

"We'll figure something out," Dark says, softly. He looks tired, but something in his eyes says he knows something now that he didn't this morning, and that something bothers him.

"Are you okay?"

He closes his eyes and looks away. "I... I don't know. I remembered something I'd forgotten."

"Something bad?"

"Little of both, I think." He sighs heavily. "I guess I should try to explain it, shouldn't I? I mean," he turns to me; he looks pained, "I said after the Gala I'd tell you everything, didn't I? Maybe I should start with this."

I move closer to him. "Vaati said something, didn't he?" Then I need to know.

"Well, I... Ha, you're not going to take this well at all, are you?"

"I won't know until you tell me, Dark."

"Right..." He takes a deep breath. "There was glass inside the vase. Smoky gray glass."

"Smoky gray glass?"

"Yeah. Pieces of a mirror that distort the reflections in them."

A memory from a dream springs to mind; I shiver. "I think I've seen that mirror before."

He moves closer, shocked. "You remember the Dark Mirror?"

"Is that what it's called?" I don't remember names, just my evil reflection and that strange laugh. "I remember it; I had some chaotic dreams after I passed out that night."

He nods, and I see him working up the courage to speak again. "Then you remember the day I was first created."

"What?"

"The Dark Mirror... I can't remember the details -- sorry, everything from back then is really fuzzy and vague -- but that mirror somehow created a shadow version of you. Me." He flinches. "Shadow Link."

I know that name. A neverending series of annoyances and battles and gigantic bombs... but he saved us in the end. Us? I try to wrap my head around that and fail. I don't understand. He saved us? How -- no, I know. The image flashes into my head, so vivid it blocks out what I really see.

Shadow Link, battered, bloody, and barely alive, laying on the ground near a shattered mirror and a pile of dark glass. I -- no, _we_ try to help him, but he's too badly hurt, and he... he...

The memory takes over completely; I'm too drained to even try to fight it off. There's a brilliant flash of golden light, and Shadow Link seems to dissolve into it... and I bury my head in my hands and start crying. He's dead. He's _dead._ He can't die! He's one of us! He -- he ---

"It's okay, Link," someone says, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close. I cling to his shirt and try to get the tears to stop, but they won't.

"I'm here. It's going to be okay." He sounds like he's about to cry, too. I want to look at him and see who he is, but every time I open my eyes, I see Shadow dissolving into that light or Dark laying in the snow with his neck broken and have to squeeze my eyes shut again.

Finally, my head clears a bit, and the overwhelming need to cry fades.

"Feeling better?" Dark asks. "I didn't think you were going to do _that_."

"Sorry. I just..." My voice is wavering. "I remembered you dying. Both times."

He pulls me closer. "Damn. I didn't even _think_ about that. I'm sorry, Link. I didn't mean for you to remember that part."

I smile weakly. "It's not like I get to pick what memories decide to come back." I take a deep breath and wish my voice would stop sounding so shaky. "Did Vaati mention that to you?"

"I worked for him for a while, remember? Before I -- before I broke the mirror. When I met him earlier, he kept calling me "little shadow", and he was using some kind of magic to try and force me to answer his questions. I didn't tell him that much, but I still told him too much. He knows about the Master Sword."

"He controlled you?" Is that possible?

"Some. I managed to fight it off, but he got the vase and the pieces of the Dark Mirror. I don't like him having that."

"Can it be fixed?" Something tells me the answer is no, but would the shards themselves still have power? Wait, I'm ignoring something painfully obvious: what if Dark is still under Vaati's control, even if only a little? "Give me a minute."

"Link, what are you...?"

I close my eyes and listen for magic, noting each one in turn: me, Dark, the Master Sword, the Mirror Shield, the rest of Dark's gear, and that's everything in the apartment. I've never really paid much attention to Dark's magic before; it feels like... For the lack of a better way to phrase it, his magic feels like a darker version of mine. Even so, there's a... a _darkness_ there, one that's almost tangible and that feels like it belongs even as it grabs my attention.

"Something wrong?"

"No... nothing's wrong. You just feel a little... weird. Did something happen to you?"

"Vaati controlled me for a bit, but I'm okay now. Why?"

I shake my head. "There's just something strange about your magic."

"Hmm. Well, I did have a piece of the Dark Mirror vanish while I was holding it."

"How does that work?" I have to ask.

He shrugs. "I was holding it, and then I felt this weird icy fire in my arm. When I uncurled my fist later, it was gone. I don't know where it went."

"Did you drop it?"

"I had it in my fist, Link. I doubt you could've pried it out of my hand. No, I didn't drop it. It just disappeared."

How does a piece of glass just disappear? "Did it cut you?"

Dark sighs and holds his hands out, palms up. "No."

This doesn't make sense. I rub my temples. "You said something about icy fire. Did it do anything?"

"Yeah. I felt it, and then I could move again. I think it broke Vaati's spell somehow. Whatever; it doesn't matter."

"It might. What if you absorbed its power or something?"

He seems to think about that, and then he grins. "Well then, that's one piece of the Dark Mirror Vaati will never get his hands on, isn't it?"

"Maybe so. Do you think he can still control you? You broke free of his spell then, but... what if it happens again? What if he decides to use you as his weapon, Dark? I can't beat you!" I can't. He's had lifetimes of practice, and I can barely even hold my own with a sword.

He's killed me before. I remember him saying that. Could he do it again?

"You have the Master Sword," he says softly. "It can counter Vaati's magic."

"Yeah, it did wonders the night you died! I couldn't even protect you with it!"

"You drove Vaati away, didn't you? When he came after me, there wasn't anything you could do. You and Zelda were too far away to intervene. When he came after you, you drove him away. See? The sword will protect you as long as you let it."

"I don't know if I can trust it."

"Why not? It's kept you safe this long."

I stand up. "Yes, and it's because of this sword that the museum is in ruins and the Project is on hiatus and _people are dead_, Dark. All because of this sword."

Dark crosses his arms. "Okay. And because of that sword, Ganon is dead. Stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. You know what that madman wants, Link. He wants to revive Ganon. That means that the sword that killed Ganon in the first place is in the way, so he thinks he needs to destroy it. Same goes for everything else that he deems "in his way" -- it all has to be destroyed."

"And what does Vaati want?"

"He wants to know where the Four Sword is."

I shake my head. "Great. We've got two crazy mages out there, both of whom want to destroy holy blades and one of whom wants to revive Ganon. Given the museum... it's clear that neither of them care how many people have to die as long as they get what they want. We don't know what either of them is planning or where they are, and one of them can apparently control you. Is there any more bad news that you haven't told me?"

Dark walks into my room and comes back out with the Master Sword. That's comforting. "That's the situation we're in. We've still got time to come up with a plan."

"And what if Vaati takes control of you again?"

He grits his teeth. "Look, I've broken his control over me more than once!"

"You said you told him about the Master Sword!"

"I told him the name, that's all! He doesn't know where it is! Do you trust me or not?"

How can he even ask that? "Of course I do, but if he controls you..."

He sighs. "I know. Like I just said, I've broken his control more than once. I can do it again."

"I hope you're right." I fall back onto the couch and stare down at the box. "So, what now?"

"What's missing?"

"Two of my sketchbooks from the Kakariko Cemetery investigation."

Dark sits down beside me. "And there are copies of those at your old college, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Then we need to know exactly what's in those two books. There must be something in that old cemetery."

"But what about Vaati?"

"What about him? He seems interested in the Master Sword and the Dark Mirror. I don't know if he dares attack you right now. As for the Mirror, I don't know if it can be fixed or not."

"Maybe we should research the Mirror..." I say, even though I know it's not going to work. If nothing survived the centuries about Vaati, then I doubt anything would've survived about that mirror.

"No, I think we need to look into those books of yours. That, or go check out this cemetery for ourselves. I bet we'll find some answers there."

He has a point. Since only two books are missing, it's safe to say that whoever took them only took the ones he needs. And since those two books both involve the cemetery, then...

"What could anyone want in an old cemetery, though?"

"That's what we need to find out." Dark wraps an arm around my shoulders. "So when do we leave?"

"I don't like the idea of leaving Vaati free to do what he wants."

"Look, Link. There are two people we need to stop. One of them is responsible for the attack on the museum, and we know what books he stole from you. The other has yet to hurt anyone other than me, and we don't have any idea where he is. I say we follow the lead we've got. Besides, I have a feeling that Vaati will find us instead of the other way around."

I hang my head. Vael... "And when Vaati shows up... how are we going to free Vael?"

Dark shrugs. "Whack him with the Master Sword. Burn Vaati out of him."

"But won't that hurt Vael?"

"Considering the alternative, I think he'll forgive you. Will you stop focusing on all the things that could go wrong? We've got to focus on what we can do. Now, I'm going to Kakariko to see what exactly is in those books of yours. Are you coming with me, or do I need to go it alone?"

I don't even know what I should feel right now; this is all too much for one day. That said, I can't just sit here, not if I might be able to stop that madman or rescue Vael...

I sigh and lean against him. "You're on my side, right, Dark?"

"Of course I am. Who better to watch your back than your shadow?"

"_...I wonder... Am I... your ally?"_

"_You are. You're one of us."_


	12. Kakariko Canyon

**Kakariko Canyon**

If I can just go fast enough, I can leave everything behind, even if only for a little while. Epona's engine roars, the bike humming its power against my legs, as I keep speeding up. I'm outside of Northcastle now -- there's no speed limit on this road until we get the little towns just southeast of Kakariko.

There's no reason to hold Epona back, I think, opening the throttle. I need this. Things are getting too crazy; the stress is slowly killing me.

It doesn't take long before I'm the fastest thing on the road, but that's okay. Passing a few cars on a highway is nothing compared to dodging rocks and tearing around corners out in the canyon, and the highway is a much, much straighter ride, too.

My hair flies behind me, flapping in all the wind. It feels weird to not have my helmet on, but I don't know where it went, and I'd rather just get to Kakariko than look for a replacement. And Dark needs his helmet, so I can't wear his. I don't want to, either; it just doesn't feel right. Even if it is just a copy of mine, it's still _his_ helmet.

It feels weird to actually be wearing these riding goggles, too. I grin at that thought. Shad gave them to me as a joke when he bought his bike -- for whatever reason, he prefers goggles to a helmet's visor -- and I've never worn them on a ride before. They're more comfortable than I thought they'd be. I think I see why he wears his now.

I weave through the group of cars I come across, left, right, left. Dark's probably just riding on the center line, but I prefer to drive more in line with the law. One of the vehicles blows its horn as I pass; I ignore it. Just because they're stuck behind a couple of slowpokes...

I don't even have to look down at the speedometer to know I can go faster. And now that there aren't any cars ahead of me for a while, I think I will. It's been a long time since I had the chance for this.

And for a while, it's nothing but the road and my bike and me, flying without leaving the ground.

I have to laugh at that; Vael told me that the day I offered him a ride home. I think he likes riding, even if he insists he'll never get his own bike.

Vael... I grit my teeth and stare off down the long highway ahead of me. I'm going to save you. I'll burn that monster out of you, and then we'll go riding again. I swear. I'll finally drag you out to Kakariko Canyon and introduce you to everyone. We'll ride, and then you and Shad will probably find somewhere to sit and discuss your latest discoveries.

Yeah, that's exactly what we'll do when this is over. I try to ignore the little dagger in my ribs that is thinking about seeing Malon again -- it's been over a year; has she found someone else? It's not like I'd be surprised by that. We both agreed that we could never make it work long-distance.

"It'll be okay," she'd said, faking a smile. "You'll find a cute girl out there who loves to hear you talk about history in no time."

I glance over; Dark's riding in the left lane, matching my speed. He isn't a cute girl, but... I sigh. She's right. I have found someone. Two someones, in fact, and that's the confusing part, even if one of them and I have been acting like a certain night never happened just to make things less awkward.

I look over at Dark; he looks back. Does he know...? I growl. There's no way I can ask that!

No, I'm not thinking about this now. I'll deal with _that_ once Vael's safe. In the meantime, I want to enjoy this ride. It's been way too long since I've had the chance to do this, and I don't know how long it'll be before I get the chance again.

The bag slung across my back seems heavy, suddenly. No matter what is happening around me, I can't let myself get too carried away. I have to focus. We're going to Kakariko to find out what that madman learned from my notebooks. Then we'll go from there. The only way to get there is to drive.

Surely I can have a couple of hours for myself, can't I?

I shake my head -- damn it, my thoughts are racing faster than Epona! I narrow my eyes and focus on the road for a while. The road and the wind and the sound of the engine... and I let myself fly down the road. Traffic seems light today. Passing cars is easy, rhythmic; drift to one side and then back.

I scowl at the "speed limit ahead" sign as I fly past it. Almost to Red Rock already? Then Kakariko's only a climb through the mountains away... I don't know if I'm ready to get there yet.

Arriving at Red Rock means it's time for fuel. Epona's tank still has more than enough to get me to Kakariko on a good day, but the highway between here and there crosses the aptly-named Snowwall Pass. The status of the road is hit-or-miss most of the year.

Thankfully, I don't have to hunt for road conditions; there's a large sign just inside the Red Rock village limits proclaiming in large letters that the road over Snowwall is open today. That's good to see. Sure, the area guard does an excellent job keeping the main roads plowed, but I haven't been keeping up with the weather in this part of Hyrule, and sudden snowstorms aren't that unusual during mid-winter.

Still, the first thing I do once Dark and I stop at the station for fuel is dig out a sweater and put it on under my jacket. We're barely to the foothills, and it's already noticeably chillier than it was in Northcastle. Where are my gloves? I know they're in here somewhere... ah, there they are. I pull them on, too.

"Is Link getting cold?" Dark whispers; he's leaning in close, visor up. "I could warm you up, y'know..."

"I thought you wanted to get to Kakariko City? We won't get anywhere if we do that."

He laughs. "I could ride behind you. We could share body heat."

I start fueling Epona up, trying not to think too much about that. "Maybe you're the one who's getting cold."

"Maybe I am." He looks up towards the mountains in the distance; the peaks are hidden under a layer of gray clouds. "Here, take care of mine, too, okay? I'm going to go see if anyone knows what the weather's like up there."

"Suit yourself." It just looks cloudy to me; visibility might not be too great. What if it is snowing? I grimace. No, I'm _not_ riding over Snowwall if it's snowing, especially if it's windy. I don't have the right clothes for that. Besides, it's been so long since I've needed my chains that they're sitting in my room back at the apartment. I've used them all of twice since moving to Northcastle, and both were during the ice storm last year.

I had to get Vael and me to the apartment somehow. I probably shouldn't have even been riding in that weather, but his power was out and he needed somewhere warm to stay, so... Not that it did any good, considering my part of Northcastle lost power just before dawn, but it was something, anyway.

"_I feel like I should do something for you, Link. You did drive a long way in bad weather to come get me."_

"_N-no, Vael, don't worry about it. You don't owe me anything."_

I'm _not_ thinking about that. I'm _not_!

"There's a guard in there; he says the pass is overcast but precipitation free, so no snow for us," Dark says, walking over and leaning against the pump. "What are you so red for? Are you cold?"

"N-no, I'm fine."

"If you aren't cold..." he leans in close. "Why are you blushing?"

"I'm not blushing!"

"Yes, you are."

I put the handle back into its holder with more force than necessary. "It's nothing."

Dark laughs. "Oh, now I know I'm missing something good."

I turn to glare at him and get distracted by something shiny against his neck. It's a choker: a small silver Triforce suspended between two black cords. The gap in the center holds a dark red gem. He's wearing it wrong; the Triforce is point down.

"When did you get that?"

He grins. "I've had it. I just decided to start wearing it. I've had it on all day."

As busy as we were this morning getting ready to leave, I can't say I've spent much time staring at his neck. "And why are you wearing it upside down?"

"Why not? Seems fitting."

"Seems disrespectful to me." I pull my necklace out from under my shirt and run my thumb over it. "Okay, if green is for courage, what's red for?" I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but I want to hear him say it.

He shrugs. "Power. Blood. Lots of things."

Lots of things... I don't think I'm in any mood to dig deeper right now. I tuck my necklace back under my sweater. "We should get going before it does start snowing."

xXx

The ride over Snowwall is uneventful. The pass is clear and a little cold; traffic is heavier but still not bad. Must be a mild winter so far.

It starts snowing lightly as we ride into Kakariko City. There's plenty of snow on the ground, though the roads are clear, the buildings and canyon walls covered in a layer of white. There are still lights hanging all over the place, the small white bulbs making the snow seem to glow. Kakariko City is beautiful this time of year. Even the majesty of the castle can't compare to this canyon.

I slow down to city speed, looking around as I ride. If only I wasn't here on important business, I could...

A horn cuts through my thoughts; judging from the sound, it's a motorcycle horn. And it's sounding in a pattern: three short, two long, one short, one long.

I repeat the pattern on Epona's horn and look around. There the motorcycle is -- it's turning into a parking lot just ahead of us. As it turns, I get a great view at its side.

A Nomad. A sleek, silver Nomad. I grin. I only know one person who rides a bike like that. I follow him into the parking lot and pull up beside him.

"Hey, Shad!" I call, turning Epona off. "I thought you were only going to ride that thing for a few months!"

Shad shrugs as he walks over. "What can I say? I decided I rather like the way this one handles. I tried one of the Mark IIIs, but it just isn't the same as this one. Some people just can't let something that works stay the way it is."

I grin. "Let me guess: Mido got ahold of it."

He pulls his goggles down around his neck and adjusts his glasses, laughing. "He offered to give it a tune-up, but he did such a good job I can't justify getting another bike."

I know that feeling. I originally got an Epona because it was cheap. She wasn't in the best shape, but she ran, and that was enough. Well, it was enough for me; it wasn't enough for Mido. And by the time Mido finished tinkering with her, she'd become the one-of-a-kind beauty she is now. Mido has a way with tools that no one else can even approach.

"I never thought I would see two Epona Customs in the same place..."

Dark laughs. "Well, now you have."

"So it seems... ah..."

"Shad, this is my cousin, Dark Masters," I say. "Dark, this is Shad Emmerich. He's one of my old classmates."

Shad reaches out and they shake hands. "Pleasure to meet you, Dark. So, if I may ask, what brings you to Kakariko City?"

"I need to check some of my old notes," I reply.

He looks down. "I see. I heard about what happened at the museum..."

That isn't a surprise. I doubt there's a historian in Hyrule who doesn't. "Yeah. I had a couple of notebooks come up missing, and I'd like to find out what I lost."

After a moment, he nods purposefully and looks up at me. "Then I'll help."

"You don't have to, Shad..."

"No, but I want to help." He smiles. "It might help take my mind off things for a while, you know?"

"Is something wrong?"

He adjusts his glasses again. "Oh, nothing serious, I assure you. There have just been a couple incidents of people attempting to sneak into the old graveyard over the last week. Nothing seems to be missing, but we've posted security just in case." He sighs. "To think we'd have to protect something like that... but after what happened at the Royal Museum, I guess I can't assume the graveyard will be safe."

K2 and K3 are full of notes from the graveyard excavation. Could it be...? "No, you probably can't. If you want... I can go out there with you later, just to look things over."

Shad seems surprised by that. "You would? Oh, thank you! I've been a bit leery of going out there alone."

I nod. "Then we should get going if we want to get both done before sunset."

"Right."

I start Epona back up, and we're off to Eldin College. It doesn't take very long to get there and find a place to park near the history building. And I do mean _a_ place; we manage to get all three bikes into one space, black and green and purple shining in the light from the nearby buildings.

I reach up and brush the snow out of my hair. "So, how is the dig going?"

"Reasonably well. The professor and I have come to the conclusion that there is a tomb or some other structure behind that wall you found, though we don't know when we'll be able to investigate further." Shad shakes his head and swipes his keycard to open the door. "We requested permission from the castle to unseal it, but with everything that's happened... I highly doubt we will be getting it any time in the near future."

"That's unfortunate. Any luck translating the inscription on the wall?"

"It says something about a great hero and a great traitor. That's all we know right now."

I swallow hard, even though I'm not sure why.

"You two are going to do this all afternoon, aren't you?" Dark says. He's smirking; I can hear it in his voice. "Maybe I should've stayed home."

"No appreciation for history," Shad says, unlocking the door to the archives.

"Oh, I've got quite the appreciation for it. I just don't waste my time analyzing it." Dark sounds a little sad.

I sigh. Of course he doesn't. Shad and I are from the outside looking in. Dark is from the inside looking out. If we had his perspective of history, we probably wouldn't analyze it so much either.

"To each his own," Shad says softly. "Well, here we are. I'm going to check my messages; I'll be back in a few minutes."

"No problem."

It doesn't take long to find my copies; the archives aren't much different from the last time I was here, just a bit bigger. I grab K2 and K3 and head for one of the tables.

Plenty of sketches of an old temple and the winding passage, ending with a set of rubbings of the sealed wall -- it's the same door as the image I asked Dark to translate so long ago, only rubbings instead of a sketch. The letters don't show up any better.

"I don't get it. What is so important about this place to be worth stealing my books?" I mutter.

Dark taps one of the door rubbings. "Maybe someone thinks this tomb is important."

"But we don't even know what's in there!"

"Exactly." He leans against the table next to me. "They're looking for something."

"What?"

He shrugs. "I can think of two things that Pigman's cult could want. His ashes and the Triforce."

"But... they have his ashes," I murmur, drifting into a memory. "That's why they wanted to kill me..."

"It's been a long time, Link. We gave them plenty of trouble before you died, and it's been several centuries since then. Things get forgotten. Pieces get scattered. It's completely possible that Pigman's followers don't know where his ashes are anymore."

I shake my head; the memory's gone. "A great hero... and a great traitor... Do you think it's Ganon's grave?"

"No. Even assuming Pigman's minions had the sense to bury him, why would they do it in the Royal Cemetery? If he has a grave, it's as far from anything sacred as it _can_ be."

"I still want to check this out, just in case."

He nods. "We will. Just as soon as we get done here."

"Yeah. I'm just so confused right now, Dark. I don't even know what to do."

"We'll figure something out, Link. I promise."

That doesn't help the weird feeling in my stomach. "I'm going to get something to drink. You want something?"

"I'll come, too."

I find a water fountain and take a long drink. Not really what I want, but it'll work. "That tomb is important. I don't know why, but it's important."

Dark puts a hand on my shoulder. "And when it becomes important, we'll know. We're going to figure this out, Link."

"Oh, I'm certain that you will. I'm counting on that, in fact."

That voice! I snap my head up -- Vaati's standing at the end of the hall! "How did you get here?"

He laughs. "I have my ways. Now, before either of you do something incredibly stupid like go for your weapons, hear me out. I have merely come to deliver a message."

"I don't believe you!" I snap.

"Link, what's all the -- how did you get in here?"

"Shad, stay back!"

Vaati smirks. "Hear me out, and I will leave. All I ask for is a few minutes of your precious time."

I grit my teeth. "All right, fine. What's your message?"

He walks towards me, stopping just out of arm's reach. "Two of your enemies are making a move this day." He holds his arms out to point in opposite directions. "One to the west, one far to the east."

"And you're telling me this why?" Is this a trick? Or is the Cult really up to something?

Vaati steps closer, leaning in. I have to fight the impulse to move away. "I despise the followers of the Evil King as much as you do, Link. If I can shatter their plans, I will. Now, if you don't _want_ to stop them, then... perhaps I shall leave."

He's lying. He's _lying._ This has to be a trick! But he watches me, and I swear for a second his eyes turn gray...

"I will hear you out," I say softly. Vael? Are you the reason he's helping me?

"Good. Then listen well. One sends his pig-minded fools to find that which is lost. He looks west. The other is after a brilliant power. He looks far to the east. They are both moving now, so you must choose who to stop and who to ignore."

He steps back and brushes some of his hair out of his eyes. "And now, I will leave you to your decision." He laughs.

"Wait!" Dark yells, moving forward.

It's too late; Vaati flickers and vanishes.

"Wh-what was that about?" Shad gasps.

"It's a very long story, Shad, and we don't have time to tell it right now." I scowl. West makes me think of the cemetery, but east...? "Brilliant power..."

"Triforce," is all Dark says.

"So what do we do?"

"I may not know what's going on," Shad says, "but unless you plan on letting one of the two do whatever he wishes, we're going to have to split our forces."

"We?"

He nods. "Yes. We_._ I may not be much of a fighter, but I'll help however I can, Link. At the very least, I can check the cemetery for you."

"We'll check the cemetery, you mean. You're not going alone," I say.

Dark shrugs. "Then I guess that leaves me to head to Northcastle, then. Fine with me." He flexes his fingers.

I nod at him. He's easily the best fighter, so it makes sense. He'll be able to protect the Triforce. "Shad and I will catch up when we can."

"All right. Then I'd better get going. You two don't do anything stupid, especially you, Link."

"And you don't either!" I call at him as he runs outside. Please, Farore, don't let us be making a terrible mistake.

Shad clears his throat; he looks nervous now. "W-we should probably get going ourselves."

"Right."

xXx

I get to Snowwall Pass before I have to pull over. What if this is a trick? Vaati may just be doing this to get me away from Link...

...but if someone's going after the Triforce, I can't just hand it over to him. I remember what Ganon's done with that power before. If whoever this is gets all three, it's over. We won't be able to stop that.

I slam a hand against the handlebars. I can't do two things at once! Which one do I do?

"You seem distressed, little shadow..."

"I thought you were pissed that I struck you," I mutter.

Vaati chuckles. "Maybe I'm willing to overlook that for the moment. Besides, I need your assistance, little shadow. I, too, have things I must attend to." He puts a hand on my shoulder.

I shake it off. "_Piss off."_

"Now, now, is that any way to speak to your master?" He puts his hand on my shoulder again and starts gently massaging that part of my back. It feels good.

I grit my teeth and shake it off. It's a trick. "Maybe I don't care."

He chuckles again. "You should be thankful I'm in a good mood today." His hand rests on my shoulder again and continues massaging. I remember this. He only does this when he's pleased with me...

I lean into his touch and close my eyes. This shouldn't feel this good. "Really..."

"I have something I wish you to do for me, little shadow."

"Yeah, but is it something I'm willing to do?" I'm not giving in to him. I'm not. "And what about Link? You're just waiting for a chance to hurt him, aren't you?" Maybe not. He's not hurting me, after all... He's pleased with me.

He doesn't answer. Instead, his hand moves to rest on top of my head. "Don't worry about your friend. I'm not going to hurt him. It's a very important task, little shadow. You're the only one I can trust to do it."

"Mmm..." He needs me. I like feeling needed. I don't feel helpless when I know I'm needed.

Vaati leans in to whisper in my ear. "Will you do this for me?"

"What do I have to do? And you promise you aren't going to hurt Link?"

"Don't worry about him, little shadow." His hand strokes my cheek. "I'm not going to hurt him. Now... you don't want your enemy to get the Triforce, do you? Then go get it. Claim it for me, my little shadow."

And then Master will keep it safe... "Yes, Master. I will."

He whispers something magical-sounding, and we aren't on the pass anymore. I open my eyes and look around. We're not far from Northcastle.

"Master?"

"There's no point in wasting the time driving. Now, he is at the Temple of Nayru. I don't care how you deal with him, just get the Triforce."

"The Triforce is at the Temple?" Is that right? I can't remember... Why can't I remember that?

"The door is there. Find the princess if you must; I am certain she knows."

Yeah, I'll just find Zelda. She knows me. She'll help me. By the time Link and Shad get here, it'll all be over, and the Triforce will be safe.

"I must go now, little shadow. I trust you will not fail me."

"No, Master. I won't. I'll get you the Triforce."

He grins. "Good. I will be waiting." And he disappears.

I laugh as I pull back onto the road. This won't be hard at all. I'll just find this enemy, follow him until he finds the Triforce, and then I'll kill him and claim it for Master!

xXx

It's late afternoon; the overcast sky makes it darker than it should be. The old cemetery is eerie this time of day. It's empty and still and dead, even moreso than it normally is. I don't like this at all.

I especially don't like the car parked near the security fence. I don't know why, but something tells me that _isn't_ the security guard.

"Well, someone's here, all right..." Shad says, sounding nervous. "It's probably someone from the department..." He sounds hopeful, but it's forced.

"Yeah," I say. "That must be it."

The first thing I do once I climb off Epona is take my bag off and pull out the Master Sword, strapping it to my back. All things considered, I want it where I can draw it. Shad gives me an odd look as I do; yeah, I probably do look weird with a sword across my back.

"Just in case," I tell him.

He nods. "R-right."

"You can still leave, Shad. I can do this on my own." If he stays, he might get hurt...

"No, I'm all right. Safety in numbers, after all."

Neither of us says a word as we walk over to the entrance to the old, ruined temple. I listen for anything that seems out of place, and I find something: a voice.

"No, you fools! Get up! I didn't bring you here so you could grovel! Now get over there and tear that door open!"

Why does that sound like Ralph's voice? I creep forward until I can peek through the door. That _is_ Ralph, standing with his back to the door, yelling at a trio of Moblins.

"Get off your knees!"

I step into the doorway. Moblins here?! "No. Get _out_."

Ralph whirls around. "Link? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the exact same thing, Ralph, but those Moblins answer it for me! I won't let you destroy this place."

"Tch! Like you can do anything to stop me! Get him!"

The Moblins stand up at that order and turn to face me. I reach up and wrap my hand around the hilt of my sword. I don't think I can handle all three of them at once, but what choice do I have...?

It turns out I don't have to worry. They charge at me, and then magic streaks past me and the three Moblins turn to stone.

Shad yelps behind me and then lunges inside, hiding behind one of the Moblin statues. "Link, look out! It's that man from before!"

And it is -- Vaati stands outside, in clear view from where I stand, one hand still outstretched towards us. He could have hit me with that spell... Why didn't he? For that matter, why not let the Moblins tear me apart? Doesn't he want me dead?

I step back, closer to the new statues, my hand still on my sword's hilt. I don't know if it's going to do me any good, but... it's the only weapon I've got right now.

"And just who do you think _you_ are, Ziota?" Ralph snaps, stalking towards the door. He's keeping a safe distance for the moment, but he's mad. "What do you think you're doing here?"

"I have my reasons, fool," Vaati replies with a broad smirk. He lowers his hand. "There is something here that I want, but it has nothing to do with you. Go away."

Ralph tenses. "No one dismisses me, especially not someone like you! You're pathetic!"

He doesn't know that isn't Vael. Should I tell him? No. He had Moblins serving him. He's with the enemy. Let him make his own mistakes.

Vaati laughs and steps inside. "I'm the pathetic one? I'm not the one with stone minions. Now, stand over there and be silent; I have business I must attend to." He turns to me. "Now, I'm sure you have some idea what I want..."

"I won't let you destroy it!" I snap.

"Destroy it?" He laughs again; it's loud and crazy. "No, you silly boy. I want its power."

He can't use its power -- he isn't me. More importantly, he's _evil_, meaning... Wait, maybe if I play along for a bit, I can get close enough to try to burn Vaati away!

"Is that all you want?"

"For now. I don't make offers like this lightly, but I am willing to leave you be if you just give me your sword."

Ralph stomps forward. "Look, I don't like being ignored!"

Vaati narrows his eyes and sighs. "Just like a Moblin... In fact, since you seem to enjoy Moblins so much..." his lips curl into a sneer, and he raises his hand, saying something in a language I've heard before, somewhere before laughing. "Take this!"

Magic strikes Ralph in a brilliant flash of light; I have to look away. Ralph screams. When I can finally see again, it isn't Ralph standing there anymore -- it's a Moblin. A small Moblin wearing Ralph's clothing. The Moblin looks down at itself and shrieks in horror. It's Ralph. Vaati just turned Ralph into a Moblin!

Vaati cackles. "Perfect! How do you like your new self?"

Ralph just keeps shrieking, staggering back and staring down at his hands in shock.

"Ah, and now that you have hopefully learned to stop interfering with me..." Vaati smirks and turns back to me. "Give me the Master Sword, Link."

Or what? I wonder. Will he curse me, too? He might if I press him too hard. I take a deep breath and draw my sword. Farore, help me. I just need this to work...

"Very well," I say softly, stepping forward. "Here it is." I hold the Master Sword out and wait. He can sense magic, so if I try to call it too early, he'll know I'm trying something. But if I wait too long, it won't work.

Vaati strides confidently forward. "Hmm, perhaps you aren't as much of a fool as I thought you were." He grins triumphantly and reaches out towards the hilt...

...and I command the Master Sword to flare its power.

The world vanishes in a blast a blue-white light, the air humming with sacred power. Vaati roars in pain; I think I hear him stagger back. Now's my chance!

I lunge forward, shoving out with the flat of my blade. I feel it strike something solid; it and I both fall to the ground. The impact breaks my concentration, and the light fades though it does not go out. Vaati lays beneath me, purple hair cascading across the stone floor, red eyes narrowed in pain as he shoves out at the sword. Magic gathers.

That's when I get my focus bacck, and all Vaati can do is scream. The Master Sword is getting warm beneath my hands, the light getting bright enough to make everything look washed out. I grit my teeth and narrow my eyes, but I have to see what happens. Something's coming out of Vaati -- thin, wispy smoke as black as a starless night, rising up from his skin and drifting away from us both.

It's working! It's -- _no_! I suck in a quick breath as pain stabs through my chest like a dagger. My arms are getting weak, my sword incredibly heavy. I don't have much left...

Vaati's scream abruptly stops, and I take that as a chance to drop the Master Sword. The pain in my chest lessens immediately when the holy light vanishes. Vaati, Vael -- whoever is in that body right now is sprawled out on the floor, unconscious.

I slide into a sit and work on catching my breath. Did it work? What was that smoke?

"Link, are you all right?"

Shad! I stagger to my feet as he runs over. "I think so. What about you?"

"I'm not injured, though I must admit, this is rather confusing..."

I grin weakly at that. I'm sure it is. "I'm sorry, Shad. I'll explain everything later, I promise." I pick the Master Sword up and sheathe it. "You might not believe half ot if."

Shad looks over at where Ralph sits; the Moblin is staring at us both in horror. "I believe I might not be as close-minded as you think I am..."

Damn it; I had forgotten about Ralph. We have to do something about him. Though I have to admit, a lot of things make sense now. At least one of the people involved in the attack on the museum is a member of the Project. Vaati's right: Ralph deserves this.

No, he deserves _worse. _I stalk over and yank the Moblin up by his collar. "Was it worth it, Ralph? Was it worth all that blood?"

Ralph tries to answer, but all that comes out are squeaks and grunts. Of course; he knows how to talk as a human, not a Moblin. I shove him away. Cold-blooded son of a _bitch._ All this time I thought I could trust him.

"Link... That won't get us anywhere," Shad says; he sounds sad. "First things first: we need to get back to town. So, Ralph, where are your car keys?"

Ralph snorts and looks away.

I grab him by the collar again. "Look, you. Right now, the only people in the world who realize that you're really a human being and not just a damned Moblin are Shad and me. If you want help, you'll have to get it from us. We can always just leave. Night security will be here before long, and I'm _certain_ that a Moblin will get their attention..."

Ralph looks defeated -- as defeated as a Moblin can, anyway -- and pats his left front pocket. Shad starts working the keys out; it's a tight fit, since Ralph apparently makes a bigger Moblin than he does a human.

I turn my attention back to Vael. At least, I hope it's Vael. He's already awake, sitting slumped over where he fell, his head down.

"Vael?"

"Y-yeah?" His voice is weak.

I step forward. "Is that really you?"

He raises his head. Gray eyes. He's got gray eyes. "I... think so."

I grin. It's Vael! "It worked!"

He gets a weird, distant look in his eyes as he climbs shakily to his feet. "I suppose it did."

How much of that does he remember? I'll ask later; right now, he needs to rest. "Do you think you can walk? There's a car outside."

"I'll be fine... I just need to find my breath," he replies, his voice as faraway as his gaze. "I'll wait outside."

"Okay." I turn back to Shad and Ralph. "Are you two ready?"

Shad holds up a keyring and shakes it; the jingle of keys is a strangely normal and comforting sound after all that just happened. "Ready. I suppose we'll just have to come back for our bikes."

That means three people and a Moblin in the car. Is the car big enough for that?

"Maybe one of us should ride back, Shad. That would give Ralph the entire backseat; he could at least lay down. Then he wouldn't be quite so visible..."

Ralph snorts and nods frantically. Good, he understands how risky it's going to be to keep him safe. How are we going to break the curse? I don't know anyone that skilled.

It takes us a few minutes, but we finally find a position for Ralph that doesn't make it painfully obvious that there's a Moblin in the backseat. Vael, meanwhile, sits on a broken gravestone, staring off into the distance. The wind is starting to pick up; is it going to start snowing again?

"Hey, Vael!" I finally call over to him. "We're ready to go!"

He looks over in my direction. "I'm not."

What? "Come on, Vael; you can rest when we get back to Kakariko City. We need to get going or we'll have to explain ourselves to security." The wind just keeps getting stronger. Something's not right here.

"Do you think I _care_ what you need?" he snaps.

"What's wrong with you?" I step closer. "Let's just go."

He grins in a way I'm not comfortable with. "Very well... If _that_ is what you wish..." He stands up and snaps his arms out to his sides -- and the wind gusts, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. I throw my arms up to shield my face.

"Link!"

"I should have _known_ you wouldn't cooperate! Then I suppose I shall have to take it by force!" Vael -- no, _Vaati _yells. "The Master Sword will be mine!"

I stagger backwards, bumping into Epona. An idea comes to mind and I leap on and start the engine. It's crazy, and it'll probably get me into more trouble very soon, but if I can just get Vaati away from Shad...

"Shad, get out of here!" Dark, please be all right. I should've known we couldn't trust him!

Vaati laughs, and the wind bursts outwards in another cloud of dust. He isn't human anymore. He hovers in the air, long purple hair and long black robe dancing in a breeze that surrounds him. A gold line down the center of his robe splits and opens, revealing a large, blood red eye that pierces me with its gaze.

"_I am filled with a power you cannot begin to understand!"_

"Do you still dare to defy me, boy? Give me the Master Sword!"

I've defeated him before. I had a different sword, but... the blade of evil's bane can pierce that darkness. I know that. But what happens to Vael if I defeat Vaati in battle? I can't hurt him, and I definitely won't kill him... even if that means letting Vaati live.

Here goes everything. Farore, help Your hero, I think, and then I yell, "You want it, Vaati? Come and claim it!" And I open the throttle and tear off. I'm not heading for town. No, I'm heading deeper into the canyon. There's a veritable maze of side-canyons there, and I know this place much better than he does. More importantly, I can go all out, because this is the terrain I ride best in. This is just another race, albeit one with insanely high stakes.

Vaati follows me, soaring through the air in pursuit. I go as fast as I can, slowing only as much as necessary to take corners. It doesn't take long before I lose track of where I am, but it doesn't matter as long as I keep moving. I've got most of a tank of fuel. How long can Vaati keep this up before he has to rest?

A beam of fire streaks past my head; I jump and jerk the handlebars and almost lay Epona down, but I manage to recover. I don't see where the beam hit. I don't think I want to. A memory screams at me to keep moving, to dodge that beam as much as possible.

I don't know how long I speed through canyons trying to run Vaati ragged, only that night falls while I do. I'd forgotten just how dark it gets in these canyons; Epona's headlight isn't much help. Vaati hasn't been slinging fire at me for a while, but I know he's still behind me. The light from Epona's taillight is just enough light to see him by.

I reach what looks like a straight stretch and risk a long look in one mirror. I can't tell if he's tired or not; he isn't flying any differently, and the light's too dim to really let me see his face.

Epona jerks to the side as the front wheel strikes something; all of her lights go out. I immediately start slowing down -- I can't see! -- but then I hit something large and solid and fly over the handlebars and hit the ground. Somehow, I stay conscious. I groan softly and try to pull myself up, but it hurts to move.

Somewhere very close, Epona's engine whines and shuts off. What's going on here? I try to move again -- the ground doesn't feel like the canyon anymore. It feels like dirt. Dirt and tree roots and -- oh Farore, where's Vaati?

I try again to get up, but it all hurts too much... I can feel something wet and sticky on my forehead; am I bleeding?

Vaati screams in what sounds like shock; he's close. "Why? Why is there no wind?!"

And then I see light. It's small, and it's moving fast, flitting back and forth as its streaks towards me. No, it's _two_ lights, one blue and one yellow. The yellow one flies towards Vaati's voice, while the blue one comes to me. I flinch and narrow my eyes; after all the darkness, the light is _bright._

I hear a voice, I think, but I can't tell what it's saying. The light moves closer... and then I pass out.


	13. Strike and Counterstrike

**Strike and Counterstrike**

I don't go straight to the Temple of Nayru. I need my gear, especially since I'm going to be fighting. Sure, I could steal something from a guard or whoever when I get there, but I'd rather rely on my _own_ weaponry. Besides, my shield should be good and charged up now.

Whoever's going after the Triforce isn't particularly _smart_. The Guard clearly knows something's up; they've got the area around the Temple barricaded off and locked down. Then again... is it that he's that stupid, or is he just cocky enough that he doesn't care? This _is_ the person who led the attack on the museum, after all, and from what I saw of that, it was a pretty well-thought-out ambush.

I park my bike on a side-street a couple of blocks from the barricades; the street's empty. Hmm. Wonder if the Guard's actually trying to clear a larger area? Might not be a bad idea. We know this guy has no problems killing people.

Still... I smirk as I sink into the shadows. There's a big difference between a person and a shadow. Is that why Master wants me to do this?

Whatever. Why or why not makes no difference. All I have to do is find this bastard and stick a sword through his gut, and then the Triforce is all ours. All Master's and mine and Link's...

The Temple itself feels wrong. I know that as soon as I reach the doors. There's that damned darkness here again -- the kind of fake, artificial darkness that seems to cling to black magic. I hate it. It reminds me of Pig-bastard, but he's dead, so why is it here? I guess there's just not much difference between one madman and another, huh?

There aren't any Guards inside the Temple; none living, anyway. There are a few bodies scattered around, and a couple of them look like they've been set on by Gibdos. That's just wonderful. I hate those things. I haven't seen any yet, and I don't even know if they're still around, but I sink deeper into the shadows just in case. I learned a long, long time ago that they can't sense me when I'm acting like a shadow.

And if the bastards can't sense me, they can't attack me, which means I'm safe.

I don't see any Gibdos in here at all. I just see Moblins and other weak monsters, though there _is_ an armored figure standing by a large set of ornate double doors. No, not just standing -- it's standing guard. Hmm. Wonder what's in there?

I wander around for a while and find nothing but more monsters. This is a waste of time. I pick a stretch of hallway free of monsters, dig my key out of my pocket, and start opening doors at random. Most of the rooms are boring: classrooms, storage rooms, that kind of boringly mundane thing. After a little more wandering, the walls start looking older and the rooms change to what looks like living quarters, though most of them haven't been used in a while.

Boring.

I know the Triforce is here somewhere... but where is it? There has to be a vault or something, right? Wait, I remember -- no, _damn_. That vault was in North Castle, but that's... huh. Isn't this place supposed to be rising from the ruins of the Castle?

In that case, there _is _a vault around here. Though maybe I should say _below_ here. All right. That makes things slightly easier. All I need to do is look for a way down. Let's see... assuming there is still a way down, it'll probably be in the older part of the building. I can tell from the looks of it that this part has more of the old castle structure than the newer part.

I wander around some more, looking for a door or patch of wall that seems out of place. There doesn't seem to be anything. Wouldn't that just make sense, though? Still, surely someone knew to keep a way down there, even if it is well hidden? I mean, people are stupid, but they aren't _that_ stupid.

After a while, I reach the oldest part of the building, a dark, narrow hallway made of stone instead of the wider hallways made of wood and brick elsewhere in the Temple. I raise a hand and drag it along the cold, worn stone as I walk. Once, a Hero set forth from this very structure. Once, a sleeping princess was awakened here.

Once, the Triforce showed its power here.

I sigh, stepping out of the shadows. I remember this place from back when it was a castle, not just a set of ruins with a Temple built atop them. The rooms closest to this area are all private quarters, from the looks of them. The Temple of Nayru in Northcastle, the Temple built atop the site of a great divine gift from the past... and the parts of it that are truly old are hidden away where only the priests can see them.

Somehow, that shouldn't surprise me. Only the chosen few can know the _real_ truth; everyone else just gets to hear the story the people in power want to tell.

And they think they're so much better than the savages of the past. They're not the slightest bit different, really.

I shake my head and scowl. I'm not getting anywhere like this. If there's still a door leading down, it'll be in this part of the Temple; I just know it.

It doesn't take long to find it, either: a dust-covered ornate metal door that seems old even compared to the nearby doors. It's locked. That doesn't surprise me, I think as I slide my key into the lock. I can only hope the lock's not so corroded that it won't open.

It opens, and I slip through, closing it behind me. It's dark, not that _that_ matters, and there's nothing more than a narrow stone staircase leading down. Exactly where I want to go! I climb down slowly, more from caution than anything else. The door _was_ locked, and there's no light to see by, so I don't think there's anyone down here... but I'm going to be careful anyway.

I finally reach the bottom of the stairs and enter a wide, long room. The air is chill and pretty stale; this place hasn't been open in a long time. The room has several large stone coffins lining the walls, names engraved in ancient letters on their sides.

Royal Knights, former High Priests and Priestesses... all of the influential people who aren't royalty, buried here beneath the castle. I stop by one Knight's grave, reaching down and tracing the worn crest carved into the stone. What would he think if he knew his grave was completely forgotten now?

I sigh. Whatever; it doesn't matter. There's nothing I can do about it, and really, I don't like thinking about this.

The wall farthest from the door is covered in ornate carvings, pictures and writing telling the story of the fall of Ganon. I don't pay much attention to it -- I know what happened better than some carving, after all -- instead focusing on a large, intricate carving of the Triforce.

Namely the keyhole in each of the triangles. Three locks, huh? Must be something really important. I don't remember three locks on the vault, but then again, I never bothered with it before; never needed to.

I found the Triforce, at least. Now I just need to get into the vault. I pull my key back out and try it in the locks. The Power and Wisdom locks won't turn, but I can unlock the Courage one; the carving of that triangle seems to renew itself, looking much younger than the other two.

I've never found a lock my key couldn't unlock before. Damn, now I've got to find two more keys, don't I? I don't even know where they could be, though if I'm lucky, they're somewhere in the Temple.

It's not like I have much of a choice... and I can't just stand around down here. Someone led the attack on the Temple, after all, and that someone is looking for the Triforce. Which means he just might be looking for my keys, too.

I head back upstairs, taking care to lock the door behind me. I'm not about to make this easier for my opponent. If he wants down there, he can just go find himself a damned key. The hallway's still empty, although I hear the sounds of a struggle in the distance. So, is the fighting moving back inside, or are some of the stupid monsters fighting with each other?

Probably just the monsters; somehow I doubt that the Guards have managed to rally themselves enough to gain back some of the ground they've lost. I slide back into the shadows and go back to checking rooms, looking for one that looks like it belongs to someone important. The High Priestess might have one of the keys, after all, although I'm not sure where the other one might be...

xXx

Everything's dark.

I groan and sit up; my head is reeling, and it's probably for the best that I _can't_ see anything right now.

And then the world seems to explode with blue light. I gasp and throw up an arm, turning away. It's that ball of light again, and it seems even brighter now!

"Are you all right?"

"It's too bright..."

"I can't make it dimmer..." the voice is small and soft, and it sounds like a girl's. "Hold still, all right? You hit your head when you fell."

"Wh-where am I?"

The ball of light moves so it's behind me, and as the pinpricks of blue-white fade, I can dimly see what looks like a thick forest around me. A forest... at the end of one of the canyons? I've never heard about this before. Nothing mentions this place.

There's a memory -- no, plenty of memories -- nagging at me from deep in my mind, memories of ancient forests and talking trees and living mazes and... I put a hand to my head, dimly noting that the sticky whatever is still there, and close my eyes.

"Are you all right?" the ball of light asks; what feels like a tiny hand brushes my cheek.

"...the Lost Woods..." I say, repeating the words playing themselves over and over in my head.

There's a little gasp beside me. "How do you know that?" She giggles. "Then you must really be Link!"

She... knows my name? "How do you know _that_?"

"The Great Fairy told me. She told me that she felt a hero approaching and told me to come find you. But you're hurt... Do... Do you think you can stand up? Our fountain isn't that far away..."

"No. Everything's still spinning."

"Um... here." I feel tiny hands on the side of my head, and magic seems to wrap itself around me. My head feels better now; it isn't hurting anymore.

"Do you feel better?" she asks.

"A little." I still hurt everywhere else, but at least my head isn't spinning now. I stagger up to my feet. The ball of light lands on my left shoulder, seeming to peer up at me. The light is still bright, but it's not blinding anymore. And more importantly, now that my head isn't spinning, I can see, at least a little. It's still pretty dark, but I can make out the shapes of trees and large roots and stumps and the occasional rock.

"You're... a fairy," I say softly, my mind piecing it together.

She giggles softly. "Of course I am. My name is Mixie."

"All right, Mixie." I force a small smile. "You said something about a fountain?"

"Oh, right! I forgot!" She hops off my shoulder and hovers in front of me. "It's not far at all. Can you walk?"

There's only one way to find out. "I can try."

"I'll go slow, okay? Let me know if you can't."

I can walk, though it's slow and painful, and I have to stop and take a break every several feet. I don't know how long I follow Mixie, but it feels like an eternity. I stop yet again and lean against a thick tree trunk, trying to catch my breath. My headache's coming back, and my legs are getting really shaky. I won't be going much farther, I know.

"How much farther is it?" I force out.

"It's right over here, Link!" Mixie calls.

I look up. Mixie isn't that far away, her light glinting off of still water. Water? If I can just make it over there, I can get a drink... I lick my dry lips and push off from the tree, trying to focus on the water and not how much I hurt. Just a little farther.

Just a few more...

I don't quite make it. My knees give out right before I reach the water, and I have to pull myself the last few feet. I don't really care how hard it is. It's _water_, and I know I need it. The water is cool and refreshing, moreso than I would normally expect from what seems to be a pond.

Wait, if this is a pond, why do I hear flowing water?

I push myself up into a sit, flinching. There's a slow but steady trickle of water coming over some rocks in the center of the little pond; large, delicate flowers rise up from the tops of the rocks. Something about this place seems odd, though right now I can't tell if it's the place itself or just my head. It looks like it's getting hazy in here...

No, it's not getting hazy. It's just getting lighter, so I can see the haze better. The light doesn't seem to be coming from any one spot, but it's just around the pond.

"Mixie?" I can't see her anymore. Did she leave?

"Worry not, young hero. She is still here. You are safe now, so rest. You need to recover your strength."

"Who are...?" There's a woman standing -- no, hovering -- in front of the rocks, her large, almost translucent wings glittering in the strange light. Her hair is long and flowing, waving and swaying in a breeze I don't feel. She's beautiful, easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen; I can't look away.

"Haven't you heard of the Great Fairies, Historian Masters?" she asks with a radiant smile. Her voice is warm, gentle, soothing. She starts moving towards me, her wings fluttering as she moves; something sheer and thin and sparkling is wrapped around her like a dress, its ends flowing behind her.

I have to be dreaming. I must've passed out when I reached the pond -- if I even got there at all.

"I have..." I say softly. Or at least I think I say it. Everything's so hazy.

She kneels beside me and reaches out to gently cup my face in her hands. "Then you should know who I am."

Should I? She's right; I should. I know her... I think. I know her. I know this place.

She strokes my hair. "Rest, young hero. Rest and regain your strength."

No, I can't sleep yet. There's something I need to take care of, something important... but I can't remember what, and everything just keeps getting hazier and hazier...

xXx

It doesn't matter what the High Priestess did or didn't have on her, as that bastard reached her first. She's dead, dead and stripped of anything of any value. I step back out into the hallway and scowl. I hate this kind of situation. I _loathe_ being perpetually behind. No matter. I'll just have to catch up, and fast.

A scream echoes from nearby; I run towards it. There's a woman being carried away by several Stalfos -- which don't last long at all once I get to them.

"You're dead..."

I turn to the princess and smirk. "I'm a lot more persistent than you think."

"Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. First, though, are you all right?" Link would kill me if I let her get hurt, after all.

She doesn't look hurt, just shaken up. Her hair's falling down and her clothes are disheveled. "I'm fine," she says. "He seems to want me alive."

"He?"

Zelda looks away at that. Does she know the guy who's behind this?

Okay, changing direction. "He's here for the Triforce, isn't he?"

"How did you --?" She shakes her head. "Yes, he is. He was bragging about having two of the keys when he threw me to his -- his servants and told them to guard me."

_Two_ keys? Shit, where'd he get the other one? And considering I unlocked one when I was down there earlier...

"Princess, we have to get going." I grab her arm and start for the stairs down. "Let's go!"

"Dark, where are we --?"

"Do you want that bastard to get the Triforce?"

When we get to the stairs down, the door is in pieces, blown open by some kind of magic. I should've expected this considering the museum, but somehow it still seems pointless. He's no doubt got the key, but he blows the door open anyway?

No time to think about that; I head downstairs, drawing my sword. The air feels different down here now. It's even colder, cold and almost looming. There's light further in, somewhere near the door. Good; Zelda will be able to see.

The tombs lay just as they did when I was down here before. That's something to be grateful for, I guess. He's not desecrating graves. At least not yet.

The bastard is standing by the carved wall, laughing, his face hidden by a black hood.

"What's this? Oh, so the princess thinks she can get her revenge?" He turns towards us. No good; the three locks are open, and there's some kind of ripple spreading from the center, renewing all of the carvings as it passes them. The door's opening.

"She's the least of your worries," I snarl. "I'm not about to let you get your grubby hands on the Triforce."

He laughs, long and loud and maniacal. "Oh, but I have it. See? The door opens for me."

I smirk. I've been through this before, bastard. It doesn't matter who opens the door or puts the pieces back together. What matters is who touches it first.

"Still so cocky?" he says, sounding displeased. "We shall see how cocky you are once I claim my power."

"Stop this insanity!" Zelda yells; she's right behind me. "Why would you want to destroy your own land? I thought you cared about this place!"

He laughs again. "That's just it, Princess... Hyrule is moving forward, all but forgetting its past. Perhaps it's time to remind them of that by force."

"I will not let you do this!"

"And just how do you think you can stop me?"

She makes a soft, strangled noise and doesn't answer.

I take the chance to ready my shield. "Haven't I already said she's not the one you should be worried about? _I'm_ the one standing in your way, you power-hungry son of a bitch."

The wall starts to shift, forming the shape of a massive pair of double doors. There's a massive groan, and then the doors start to slowly open, sending fingers of golden light into the room with us.

"Dark!"

I look away from the door right as the bastard hurls some kind of spell at me. I snap my shield up, feeling the ever-familiar vibration against my arm as the shield absorbs whatever it is. I don't even think; I just command the shield to reflect.

He screams as whatever he cast bounces right back in his face.

I take my chance to run through the door. The Triforce sits on an ornate stone pedestal, but I'm not paying attention to details. All I see is the Triforce itself, and I know I can't let this bastard get his hands on it.

Something grabs my leg and I trip, falling hard to the floor. Damn it; didn't that spell to the face slow him down at all? I try to kick at what's restraining me. There's nothing there. He staggers to his feet, one hand tightly clenched. He's too far away to try and break his concentration, but I can't just let him win!

There's a loud smack, and the magic vanishes. I jump to my feet. Zelda has a shield in her hands, standing over him. He's on the ground, his hood off and obviously in pain.

"Kill them both!" he snarls. "Destroy them!"

Shit, there are Moblins running our way; where'd they all come from? "Princess, get back!"

He's trying to trap us, distract us so he can get the Triforce... Doesn't matter; my shield's charged. I move to meet Zelda in the middle and cover us both with my shield. Then I fire the light.

As soon as I hear the Moblins start squealing, I start running, grabbing Zelda with my sword hand and pulling her behind me. I have to keep her close, but...

The bastard's pulling himself to his feet next to the pedestal. "The Triforce is mine!"

"That's what you think!" I yell.

He turns around -- I know that face; this has to be a trick! -- and I slam my shield into his face, letting go of Zelda's arm and leaping for the Triforce.

"No!" he screams.

_"I see the wish inside your heart. It is granted, Shadow..."_

I don't remember having a wish, unless wanting it away from a certain evil bastard counts.

The Triforce rises off of the pedestal, glowing brilliantly, and then it splits into three and shoots off into the distance, enveloping the room in gold-white light.

_"No!_ You haven't won, boy! You _haven't _won!"

We're outside, not far from my bike. Is this the Triforce's doing?

"What did you do?" Zelda gasps, looking around.

I think I know now. "The Triforce has gone to those meant to bear its power." I look at her. "How's your hand feel?"

"It... It aches..." she admits. "What did you do?"

"Not me. Look at your hand, Princess." It's quiet out here, and I have to wonder where he ended up in that burst of power.

She gasps. "How is this...?"

"There's a reason the legends speak of the Princess of Wisdom."

She doesn't say anything. I decide that there's nothing posing a threat and sling my shield back in place. One way or the other, we can't stay here.

"Do you have somewhere I can take you, Princess? He's probably looking for us right now."

Zelda shakes her head. "There is somewhere, but... no, I can't go there."

"Why not?"

"Because he knows where it is. I'm worried about my father..."

I sigh. "I doubt he's gone after your father yet. That would attract a lot more attention to this." I lean on my bike and cross my arms. "So that man _is_ Chambers, isn't he?" The damned Royal Historian himself is behind all of this. The person whose job is supposedly preserving Hyrule's past, one of the people in the best position to learn from the mistakes of history... and he's the one behind all of this.

Link is going to be so pissed when he hears about this.

She nods. "I never imagined that he would do such a thing."

"Things make a lot of sense now. That's why the attack on the museum seemed so well-thought-out. He knows that place like the back of his hand. And it explains how the Moblins knew exactly which office was whose." I don't like this at all.

I look over at her. "Surely, he doesn't know all of the Royal Family's secrets. There has to be somewhere in Hyrule I can take you."

She looks thoughtful for a moment, and then she nods. "There is a house hidden among the cliffsides in Kakariko Canyon that only I and those in my service know about. That's the only place I can trust to be safe."

Kakariko Canyon. "I just keep heading that way, huh? All right, Princess, here." I toss her my helmet. "It's not exactly a royal ride, but I'll get you there."

"A question first. Why did the Triforce call you 'Shadow'?"

"Because that's what I am. I'm not human. I'm a shadow. Link's shadow, to be specific."

"Link's shadow... I see. That explains much. Very well, Dark, I shall go with you to Kakariko City."

I nod. "Then we should get moving while we can."

xXx

I wake up feeling much better. I'm at the edge of the pond, half in the water; someone took my jacket off and put it under my head as a pillow. I sit up. I should be colder than this, much colder. It's winter, and I'm jacket-less and wet, yet... I don't feel uncomfortable at all.

I don't see any snow around here either. Is that part of the magic on this place?

"So, you've awoken..." The woman isn't hovering anymore; now she's sitting comfortably on the rocks, her sheer clothing clinging to her. "Do you feel better, young one?"

"I think so." I climb to my feet, flinching when I put weight on my left hand. It _aches_. "Mostly, anyway."

She smiles and nods.

"Where am I?"

"You already know. These are the Lost Woods, a place that few can find and even fewer leave. It is a sacred place."

"It sounds like it's singing..." Both the Woods and the Master Sword seem to be, a strange kind of harmony that's as beautiful as it is ancient.

"Your sword has spent many centuries hiding within these woods. It bears their mark."

I've got so many questions right now I don't even know where to start. I try to sort through my thoughts, but they're interrupted by a scream.

"Mixie?"

"I knew you had to be in here somewhere."

Vaati! I jump to my feet, grabbing the Master Sword from where it lay beside me. The ache in my hand is getting worse; I don't trust myself to draw my sword and hang onto it.

Vaati staggers out of the haze and into view; he looks exhausted. He's still in the same strange form he was when he chased me down the canyons, but he's not in the air anymore. His long robe is pooled around his feet, the one black leather boot I see covered in dirt and mud. His hair is tangled and plastered to his head. One hand rests heavily on a tree for support, while the other... the other is curled tightly around Mixie.

"Let her go, Vaati! I'm the one you want."

He smirks. "Give me the sword, and I give you your precious ball of light."

"You will not fight here," the Great Fairy says, moving to stand between us. "Such an evil cannot be permitted to walk these woods unpunished."

"I don't care about your woods..." He sounds oddly tired now. There's something more to this, isn't there? This has something to do with that black smoke from before...

"This is my place of power, Wind Sorcerer. You can do nothing here."

He grits his teeth and staggers forward. "I'm not as powerless as you think!"

The Great Fairy looks at me and then at the Master Sword before nodding. "You know what you must do, Hero. I will aid you."

"You can do _nothing_!" Vaati shrieks; his voice sounds strangely deep.

I draw the Master Sword and raise it, holding it with both hands. My left hand won't stop hurting... "I'll stop you, Vaati. I stopped you once, remember? I can do it again!"

He scowls. "This is all your doing! I'll make you pay!" He tosses Mixie to the side and tries to leap at me.

And the pond explodes into light, warm and comforting and bright, and he's screaming again.

"Now, Hero! I cannot hold him long!"

I force myself to walk forward and press the flat of the Master Sword against him again. But this time when I command it to flare, it's different. The light starts off blue-white, but then my hand goes completely numb and the light turns golden. The air is singing -- no, _screaming_ -- with magic strong enough that I feel like I'm falling away from myself even as I'm more aware of myself than ever.

What is this?

Vaati screams, clawing weakly at the ground. That black mist is rising from him again, but this is different. It's not drifting away from us; it's pulling away, jerking back from the blinding light. It's curling in on itself -- no. It's burning away? The light, whatever it is, is burning the mist away...

The last of the mist twists and writhes, and for an instant, it looks almost like a face. "No... _No!_" Then it, too, burns away, leaving only a vague feeling of _wrong_ that lingers around us.

Vael slumps to the ground, looking more like he's sleeping than anything else. I stand up, or at least I try to. The Master Sword falls from my hand, and I'm so numb I can't tell if I'm standing or kneeling.

"Is he... Is he all right?" I force out.

The Great Fairy kneels beside me, brushing some of the hair from Vael's face. "He should be fine. He is strong..."

I know I'm on my knees now, though I don't remember falling. "Vaati... Vaati's gone now, right?"

She looks at me and shakes her head. "That is something he should explain, I believe. You should rest."

That's what I've been doing. "What just happened to me?" Why does this feel familiar?

"Rest. The answers will still be here when you awake."

xXx

This time, I wake up to the sound of voices.

"Is it completely gone? I don't want what happened before to happen again."

"You know as well as I do, Sorcerer, that its grip on you is gone."

"I just want to be certain."

I sit up. The Great Fairy is sitting on the rocks again. Sitting at the water's edge nearby is... It looks like Vaati, still in the long robes from before, though the eye in the robe is shut. But the hair falls around his face like Vael's always does, and the small smile he gives me is _definitely_ Vael.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Are you all right?"

I climb to my feet -- weird, my hand doesn't hurt anymore -- and walk over to sit beside him. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? You were the one possessed by Vaati."

Vael flinches. "Vaati wasn't what was possessing me."

"What?"

He shakes his head. "I _am_ Vaati, Link. I always have been, even when my power was sealed inside that vase."

"Then... you didn't want it free?"

"I didn't think I could handle it. There is a reason it was taken from me, and I thought it would be better to just leave it that way. There was some kind of spell on that vase. It tainted my power."

I think I get it, even though I'm still not sure I like the idea. "So when the vase broke and your power returned, the spell came with it."

He nods.

"What exactly was it?"

"For a while I couldn't really remember being Vael, and there was a powerful compulsion to find the Hero's Sword... which I took to be the Four Sword."

"Until Dark mentioned the Master Sword..." I scowl down at my reflection. "We should get back to town. Dark's probably looking for us."

"That's right. He went after the Triforce." Vael climbs to his feet. "It'll be much faster if I get us back."

I draw the Master Sword and hold it out towards him. "First, touch the blade."

He looks confused, but he lays his hand on it. There's no reaction from the sword. I nod and sheathe it again. I'm still not sure how Vael can be Vaati, but it doesn't matter. The evil's gone, so I have my friend back. I'll worry about the details once we find Dark.

"I was making sure that whatever it was that was possessing you is completely gone. Evil can't touch this sword, after all."

"Ah, I see." He rubs the side of his head. "What was that gold light?"

"I don't know."

The Great Fairy floats over to us, smiling. "That was the light of the Triforce of Courage. You were calling upon its power, Hero."

"I was...?" I look down at my hand. "Is that why it hurt so much?" My magic feels stronger now, much stronger, and when I reach down to nudge it, there's a tingle in my hand. For a second, the Triforce glows on the back of my hand; Courage is brightest by far.

"How is...? This shouldn't be possible." Somehow, though, it is. The Triforce of Courage is inside me...

"Then Dark won his battle," Vael says. "At least part of the Triforce is in our hands. If you're satisfied, Link, we should really get back to town. I don't know how long we've been missing."

"Let me get my bike, first."

Mixie laughs from nearby. "It's right here, Link! We fixed it for you!"

"Fixed it?" Oh, that's right... I crashed when I got here. My bike doesn't look it now; it's shiny and gleaming and in better shape than it's been in a long time. "Wow... thank you..."

"It's the least we could do to help you, Link!" Mixie says, flying around my head.

The Great Fairy puts her hand on my shoulder. "I will send word to all of the fairies to aid you should you need it. Take this as well." She traces a shape in the air and magic wraps around my right arm, creating a gauntlet out of nothing.

"Wh-what is this?"

She merely smiles. "As powerful as your sword is, a sword alone is not enough protection. This will help keep you safe." She straightens up and moves back towards the pond. "And now you must leave. There is something else that you must protect, something you must reach before he does."

He... that's right! "Vael, do you know who cast that spell?"

"No. All I know is that there was a voice in my head, and..." he looks away, clearly unhappy. "The voice sounded like Chambers' voice."

"_What?_" Chambers? That's not possible, is it?

Vael just shakes his head. "We'll worry about that later. First, we need to make sure Dark and your friend are all right." He walks over to me as I lean on Epona. "The closest place I remember well is the graveyard. Is that all right?"

I nod. It's close enough to town that it won't take long to get there, but far enough away that no one will see us. "You're going to teleport us, aren't you?"

"I'm going to try, anyway. I just hope I've got enough strength back." He puts one hand on my bike and holds the other out, whispering something in a language I don't recognize but strikes me as familiar anyway. The breeze swirls around us, and then we're gone.


	14. Connections

_Author's Note: Hopefully this will explain a few things._

_

* * *

  
_

**Connections**

It's weird. Even after growing up here, I never really realized what Kakariko City looked like from up on the canyon walls until now. I've never really done _this_ before, though. I didn't even know this road existed until now -- but if this narrow, winding dirt road does lead to the royal safe house Shad and Dark claim it does, that would explain that; that's not the kind of thing that should be public knowledge.

I swear things are getting more bizarre by the day, and I don't know if there's anyone who can make sense of it. I know I can't. Couldn't the attack on the museum be enough?

I really need to stop thinking about this, but I can't. The attack, the Moblins trying to break into whatever's behind that wall in that ancient temple, the Triforce... and then there's Vael. I still don't know what to think about that either. I think I can trust him. If nothing else, the Master Sword burned him before but it didn't burn him earlier. And right now, he's sitting right behind me on my Epona; if he was evil, there's no way he could tolerate being that close to a holy blade.

The road makes another treacherous bend, and a house comes into view ahead. It hardly seems like a royal house, merely one of the numerous cabins that dot the tree-lined canyon. I've probably seen it my whole life and just thought it was someone's vacation house or something.

It doesn't take long to cover the last of the road and pull up beside the cabin. The car leading the way pulls around the back of the house, between the trees. I stop next to one of the trees and look around. Shad's over by the house, climbing off of his motorcycle, and the purple-haired guy who led us here -- I think I heard the princess call him Kafei -- hops out of his car and walks around to the other side to help the princess climb out.

"Where do you want the bikes?" I hear Dark call from nearby; he's not far behind the car, leaning forward on his handlebars.

"Wherever," Kafei says, closing the door behind Zelda. He doesn't seem to be paying us much attention at all.

Wherever? No, that won't work. I doubt anyone can see them -- it's sometimes enough of a feat to see the houses -- but all of three of the bikes are at least somewhat distinctive. It's probably just me being paranoid, but I ease my bike under the trees and shut her down.

It's not the best place, since I'd really prefer a cover, but it'll do for now. "Are you okay, Vael?"

Vael shifts behind me, working his way off the saddle. It's a little awkward since he had to roll his long robe up and sit on the ends, but he doesn't seem too fazed by it.

"A little tired is all," he says softly, stepping away and letting the ends of his robe fall. "I had hoped we'd be able to go somewhere and rest, but I guess we can't yet."

That had been my plan, actually; head back into town and crash in the history lounge for a while. I hadn't expected to meet Shad there, and I _especially_ hadn't expected to end up following the princess and one of her guards to a hidden cabin an hour or so outside of town.

Expected or not, however, that's exactly what just happened. I push my goggles up onto my forehead and climb off, sticking the key in my pocket.

And then there're arms around my waist. "Dark?"

"I'm here," he says, resting his head on my shoulder. "I'm here."

"I know." It's still nice to hear. I know he can't really die, but I still don't like the idea of him getting hurt.

He takes my right hand in his. "Where'd this come from?"

Where'd what -- oh, wait, my gauntlet. "The Great Fairy gave it to me."

"Really?" He laughs. "Must be something good then. What's it do?"

Vael clears his throat. "Shouldn't we be getting inside?"

"We probably should, yes," I reply, following Vael and thanking the Three for the distraction. I don't really know what my gauntlet does. Is it supposed to do anything? It's a gauntlet. It just appeared during the fight with Vaati. I don't think it's magical... or if it is, its magic has mixed with mine enough I can't sense it. Still... I stop and hold my hand up, flexing my fingers and watching the afternoon sun glint off the metal.

It's a weird gauntlet, not nearly as bulky as the ones I've seen as part of full armor. It covers my arm and the back of my hand, with a black glove underneath. The metal looks like steel, though at the same time, it doesn't look quite right. I'm not sure what it is, really.

"Link, are you coming?"

"Y-yeah, I'm coming." The Great Fairy said this will keep me safe. That's enough for now. Hopefully I'll figure the details out before I need to know them. I don't have many other options.

The inside of the house is as normal as the outside. It's _normal_. It seems weird that the princess would stay in something like this, but apparently she's going to be staying here. Are we all going to be? I wonder, pausing in the entranceway to kick off my mud-caked boots and unzip my jacket.

"Wow, can you survive being away from all your luxury, Princess?" Dark asks with a snicker.

Kafei glares at him. "This may not be the castle, but she is still Princess of Hyrule; show some respect."

"I don't believe I have much of a choice at the moment, Dark, as you of all people should know."

"What's she talking about, Dark?" I have to ask.

Dark looks at me and just shrugs. "We'll get to that later. We've got plenty of explaining to do, after all. Long story short, let's just say that this is the only place where we know she'll be safe that our enemies don't know about."

"Assuming of course we haven't just led one of them here," Kafei says with a snort, staring at Vael.

"I don't consider anyone who can touch sacred steel an enemy," I reply, staring back.

Vael, meanwhile, doesn't answer. He merely kicks off his boots -- they're taller than I thought, going most of the way to his knees -- and then pads into the front room and sits down in the chair closest to the bay windows. The princess is already seated, as well; I don't remember seeing her sit down.

Shad is still standing in the entranceway, staring into the front room. He looks lost. Then again, he probably is. Damn, I was going to try and explain things to him, wasn't I?

"Shad, are you all right?"

He turns to me and sighs, looking pained. "I just don't know what's going on, Link. First this man," he points at Vael, who is staring out the window and ignoring us all, "shows up to threaten you, then he tries to kill you -- and need I remind you he turned that Ralph into a Moblin? -- and then you two both tear down the canyon and no one sees any sign of either of you for _three days_. And now you're both back and fine and you claim that he isn't evil. I just don't understand it, Link. I know what I saw."

"I know, and I know it sounds crazy. Believe me, Shad, this all sounds crazy to me, too." After all, I'm the one who's been carrying around a holy blade this whole time. "Come on, let's go sit down." I have to unbuckle my baldric and prop the sheath against the chair; I'm sitting next to Vael, just in case.

Vael looks back towards the room and sighs. "I'm honestly surprised you brought me first before expecting me to explain."

"We didn't have a choice," Kafei snaps. "Consider yourself lucky."

"Should I?" Vael asks absently, rising smoothly to his feet. "Very well. Where should I begin? It's a long story, and I highly doubt we have time for all of it."

"A simple explanation of exactly who you are will suffice," the princess says.

"I'll do what I can." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, and then he takes a deep breath.

"I am the Wind Sorcerer Vaati, and once, I tried to become a god. I was defeated by a hero wielding a sword that split him into four, a blade called the Four Sword. I wasn't killed, merely... split." He holds his hands up and pulls them apart. "The dark power I had claimed was torn from me and sealed away by the Four Sword's power. What remained of me was allowed to return to what was left of my former life. Somehow, the power acquired some kind of sentience, and when a shadow broke the seal, it surged forth and attempted to cover all of Hyrule in darkness. I watched this happen, watched the hero again take up the Four Sword and again seal that power away.

"A few years later, the seal broke again. The hero again took up his sword to fight, and again the monster that used my name was defeated. This time, however, a new tactic was chosen. Since this dark power seemed to draw strength from a magical artifact called the Dark Mirror -- a mirror that had been shattered the first time the seal broke only to still have some power later -- the Mirror and all of its shattered parts were gathered and placed inside a vase made from sacred clay. All of Hyrule's mages gathered, including myself, to channel what power we could into the vase. Through that combined magic and the power of the Four Sword, the monster my power had become was sealed into the vase along with the Mirror that gave it strength."

He leans against the windowframe. "I'm not sure what happened after that, as the next thing I knew, I was here."

"Here?" Shad asks, reaching up to adjust his glasses. "I thought Link knew you."

"He does. It was several years ago, at least ten." Vael shakes his head. "I haven't really been keeping track. I found myself here with no idea how I'd gotten here or even when here was. I didn't have any choice other than to start over. The first thing I did was to give myself a new name: Vael Ziota. My name plus my master's." He glances out the window for a moment, looking thoughtful, and then he turns back to the room and walks towards the center. "I was trained as a mage, so I continued to study magic. When I got the chance to join the Royal History Project, I leapt at it, thinking perhaps I could find out why I was brought here."

"And then Chambers found Vaati's vase," I say.

He turns to me and nods. "Yes. I knew what I had done when I had that power, and I also knew what had happened when the power acted of its own accord. I knew it couldn't be broken."

Dark snorts. "Except it was."

"Not by my choice. If I had any say in the matter, the vase would still be languishing in obscurity." He's pacing now, crossing the room with long, quick, graceful strides. "Some things are inevitable, it seems."

Kafei moves to stand closer to Zelda, but Vael doesn't get within reach; he merely turns around and continues pacing. Zelda holds up her hand. "Do you not want that power?"

"I neither want it nor need it," Vael says, stopping abruptly in the center of the room. "Especially with the extra magic on it. Someone tampered with the vase, placing a spell on it that would fire when the vase shattered. That spell is why I acted the way I did. It somehow amplified the hatred that still lingered in that power, and there was a single compulsion connected."

He turns to me, looking straight at the sword beside my leg. "Find and destroy the Hero's Blade."

"There was chalk on the vase." I remember that.

He nods. "That was most likely the spell. That does narrow down who could have done it quite nicely, as does the fact the voice I heard sounded like Chambers."

"Chambers? But why would he?" I lean forward. "That doesn't make sense."

"Makes sense to me," Dark replies, leaning back in his chair. "Chambers sure was interested in the Triforce the other day, wasn't he, Princess? He really didn't like me beating him to it."

"That..." I shake my head. "No, that can't be! He cared about the Project!"

Dark sighs. "I know what I saw, Link."

I don't want to believe it, any of it. Vael is the same as Vaati? Chambers is behind all of this? This has to be some kind of bad dream, right?

"If you still have your power -- and I'm assuming you do -- then why the sudden change? You were quite eager to kill Link last time I saw you," Shad says.

Vael sighs. "The magical compulsion is gone, since there isn't any mortal magic that can stand up to divine power. Yes, I still have that power. I will continue to have this power until it is torn from me again. However," he looks slowly around the room at each of us in turn, "I am not the foolish child I was so long ago. I know what power is, and I know what power costs.

"If you're asking if I wish to destroy Hyrule, no, I do not. I'd like the chance to help defend it if I can, though that decision is ultimately yours, Hero." He's looking at me now.

I don't have an answer, really. Vael -- Vaati? I'm not even sure what to call him now -- isn't evil, but... He's my friend. I've known him for, well, a couple of years now. I trust him. I still can, right?

My head's getting fuzzy. Must be all the stress.

"Link, are you all right?"

"I'm going to step outside. Don't let me stop you; you can fill me in later." I pull my boots on and duck outside, ignoring the conversation that starts in the front room. It doesn't matter right now.

It's around sunset; long shadows stretch across the house and the trees and rocks. I slide my hands into my jacket pockets to fight off the chill in the air and then walk towards the edge. There's a nice sized rock that overlooks the city, and it's far enough from the house I get some privacy.

I climb onto the rock and make myself comfortable. It's cloudier than it was earlier; it's just hazy enough that I think the city's getting some snow. I wonder if it'll reach up here... hopefully it won't be enough to block the road. Though there should be a way to deal with it if it does, right? I think that makes sense.

I reach up and rub my temples. None of this really makes sense. I can't even argue my point; sure, Vael can touch the Master Sword, but that doesn't mean he's on our side. It just means he's not evil.

At the same time, though... I remember an old man with a long beard and a staff carved like a bird's head. I remember his apprentice, purple-haired and red-eyed, begging forgiveness because he just wanted his master to notice him...

But that was a long time ago, a _very_ long time ago. Things change; people change, right?

I'm not even sure I can convince myself of that right now.

"Link, are you all right?"

Vael. I don't turn around. "Is anything all right anymore?"

He sighs and walks up to stand beside my rock, his hair and robe flowing behind him even though there really isn't enough of a breeze to do that. "I'm not sure if anything ever was all right, all things considered."

"What are you going to do with your power now that you have it?" Why can't I make myself look at him? Am I that afraid of what I'll see?

"What are you going to do with the Master Sword and Triforce now that you have them?"

I sigh heavily; at least it's something I can answer. "I'm going to do what I have to do. I'm going to track down whoever it is that's threatening Hyrule, and I'm going to stop him."

"Why?"

"What do you --?"

He's looking out at the canyon, his voice soft. "Why get involved in a battle like that, Link?"

"Because I have to," I say, not realizing I'm speaking until I hear myself. "I have the power to stop this, so I can't just sit back and let it keep happening."

He closes his eyes. "Do what you must to do your part, yes?"

"Something like that. I just have to do this, Vael." I stop and turn towards him. "Is it all right to call you Vael?"

"That's the name I've taken. If you'd rather call me Vaati, you can, but since everyone knows me as Vael, I may as well keep using it. I prefer it, myself." He opens his eyes and turns towards me. "You never did answer me. Are you all right?"

"No, I'm not. My head's so fuzzy I can barely think." I reach up and rub my temples again. Why does my hand feel so weird? My gauntlet. The one the Great Fairy gave me, right. I remember that.

Vael leans in and seems to look me over. "You look a little pale. All right, to your feet. It's warm inside, and we can find you a bed." He pulls me up to my feet.

"Okay..." I like the sound of warm; it's chilly out here. I lean against him as we turn back towards the house -- I think someone's watching us through the front window.

That's when I stumble, and it's only the arms supporting me that keep me from falling.

"Link?"

"I'm tired..." I mumble. I think I hear voices approaching, but that's all I remember.

xXx

I wake up in a bed, a thick blanket draped over me. I don't recognize the room.

I sit up. My jacket's draped over a nearby chair, along with my sweater and my riding gloves and gauntlet. The Master Sword, still in its sheath, is propped up beside the bed. Dark's riding gear is next to mine, his helmet and my goggles resting atop a small table. Dark's here, too, lying beside me asleep.

My head's still fuzzy, and I've got that weird feeling of someone thinking along with me again, too. I need something to focus on, something that's mine and mine alone. I fumble in my pocket and pull out my pocketwatch; by some miracle it's still intact and working, so I flip it open and stare at its face for a while. The face's design is pretty simple, a simple looking clock face with golden hands with a small inset dial showing the date. The face itself isn't white like most other watches I've seen. It's a faded brown color, almost like old parchment, with an old map of Kakariko Canyon drawn on it. It's a very old map, showing the old cemetery and the tiny, tiny outpost the city once was.

"You're awake?"

"I am." I don't look up from my watch.

Dark sits up. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really."

"I don't like the sound of that, Link."

I sigh and flip my watch closed. "I don't either, Dark, but that's how it is."

He moves closer, leaning against my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's thinking with me."

"Damn. I was hoping it'd be something I could help you with. Guess not."

"Did anyone make a decision?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Vael's allowed to stick around, though I'm sure that's mostly so Kafei can keep an eye on him. Ralph's locked up in a room down in the basement, since we can't risk him getting out and finding whoever he works for. And I think that's it, really. For now, the princess seems to be waiting to see what happens."

That sounds like the best decision, really. Maybe with a little time, this will all make sense. "So there's nothing for us to do?"

"Apparently not." He stretches, and then he wraps his arms around me and flops backwards, pulling me down with him. "That's a good thing. From what Vael's said, I'm amazed you've been as awake as you have been. You're pretty tough."

"No, I'm not," I say, shaking my head. "I haven't had a choice."

"Stubborn." He keeps holding me. "And how long were you feeling bad yesterday?"

"I didn't notice anything until we got here, and then... I just needed some fresh air."

"Uh-huh. Which is why Vael had to drag you back in here. Good thing I went to help him; he's not as strong as us."

"He's got magic, right?"

Dark makes an irritated noise in his throat before saying softly, "Well, if I'd known you preferred to be draped all over him, I'd've let him figure out how to get you in here."

"That isn't what I said!" Why am I blushing?

"I _knew_ it."

"K-knew what?"

"You like him."

I don't know what to say. Farore, I don't know how I'm supposed to answer that. "Dark, I..."

"If you like him, you like him, Link. You don't have to deny it." His voice is flat and business-like. "I'm not here to be in your way."

"I didn't say you were!"

He lets me go and sits on the edge of the bed, facing away from me. "I shouldn't have said that, I guess. Well, ignore me and get some more sleep. If you're fuzzy-headed, you need the rest. Oh, right. Are you hungry? I can get something for you."

"Dark, it's... complicated." I'm not even entirely sure what I feel, but... I don't like this. "Look at me."

He stands up and starts towards the door.

"Thrice damn it, Dark, _look at me_!" Don't walk away, damn it. Don't leave.

He reaches the door and stops, taking a deep breath before turning around. He's not looking at me; he's looking at the wall over my head. His jaw is tense, his stare oddly focused.

"We can talk about this later."

"There might not _be_ a later, Dark! You're the one who was worried about not having time before! What happened?"

He acts like he's going to reply, but then he shakes his head. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does." I climb out of bed, noting that he turns his head slightly to keep from looking at me. Why won't he look at me?

"You should be resting."

"How am I supposed to rest now?"

He turns back to the door. "I don't know. I shouldn't have said that, Link. Pretend you didn't hear it."

_"Then maybe we should just pretend that didn't really happen."_

I move, lunging at him and throwing my arms around him from behind. "No! I'm tiring of pretending, Dark. I just want the truth."

"Do you really?"

I nod. "Even if it hurts, Dark. I need to know."

He turns and looks at me over his shoulder; he looks resigned, but hopeful. "All right. But first, I'm going to go get you something to eat; you need it. Then we can talk, okay?"

"Okay." I want to talk it over right now, but I can work with this. I let him go. "We're going to talk."

"Yeah, we are. This won't take me long. Now sit down or something. I don't need you passing out while I'm gone." He opens the door and walks out.

I barely have time to sit down before there's a soft knock on the door. "Is everything all right, Link? I heard yelling."

Vael. Of all the people to overhear... "Nothing's wrong."

He eases the door open. "Are you sure? It sounded like an argument."

"It's nothing, really, just a little misunderstanding."

He scowls at that before walking in and closing the door behind him. He isn't wearing his robe, just a high-collared sleeve-less shirt and his slacks. I'd forgotten just how thin he is.

"Are you feeling any better today?"

"A little, I guess." I don't really want to try and explain this to Vael, even considering what's happened the last couple of days. "My head's still pretty fuzzy."

"Are you sure?" He sounds skeptical. "You're pretty red."

I turn towards him, only to turn right into his hand as he rests it on my forehead. "You _do_ feel rather warm."

"I'll be all right, really. I guess Dark's just right about me needing more rest."

Vael makes a soft _hmm _and finally, _finally_, removes his hand. "Perhaps he is. Still, if you're this warm this evening, you should probably take something at the very least. The last thing we need is for you to get sick."

I nod. "I'll be careful."

"I have my doubts about your 'careful', given the things I've seen you do." He sighs and sits down. "When I was under that compulsion, Link, I could've killed you."

"I know. That's why this whole thing confuses me so much." I reach up and rub my temples; my head's _really_ getting fuzzy now. "You just... got thrown forward in time?"

"That's what it seems like," he says softly, watching me with a worried look. "I was there with the other Minish wizards helping to power the spell to seal that dark power away... and then I was outside New Kasuto with no idea where I was. I think, maybe, I was brought here to deal with the vase. Or maybe it called me here; I don't know.

"Either way, this is where I ended up." He reaches into his shirt and pulls out his necklace.

It looks just like the eye on the vase, the flying eye on that sketch Dark found... I shiver.

Vael apparently notices that. "I had this made a long time ago to remind me what I was. I don't want to make that mistake again."

I nod. "Ezlo wasn't too hard on you, was he? He was a pain to me sometimes."

He looks at me, clearly surprised. "Master was himself, as always. He stopped being quite so stubborn, but he still had his moments. I miss him just the same. Are you feeling all right, Link?"

"I'm just tired, Vaati. I'll be all right."

"If you say so..." He sounds weirdly skeptical. "Then I should let you rest." He heads out, stopping in the open doorway. "You sound like you need the sleep."

He closes the door, and then I can faintly hear voices; Vaati's talking to someone, but I don't know who. It doesn't matter. I fall back onto the bed and close my eyes. I'm not really sleepy.

"Told you it wouldn't take me long."

I sit up and blink in confusion at the person walking in. Dark skin, black hair... do I know him? He balances a tray easily on one hand while he closes the door with the other. "Vael better not have bothered you much."

"Vaati and I were just talking."

He turns to me at that, his eyes narrow. "Oh, you were, huh? Anything interesting?"

I know who it is now. It's Shadow Link. "Not really. I haven't been able to talk to him for a while. Well, not the good one. Not that the evil one talks much."

He sets the tray on the table and sits down next to me. "Probably not, no."

"Did he talk to you much?"

"When?"

I sit up. "When you worked for him. Or don't you remember that?"

He bites his lip. "Maybe I don't care to remember."

"Oh. Sorry I brought it up, then." I rock back and forth slowly, trying to think of something to say. Oh, right, he did bring some food in here. "Is that for me?"

"No."

"You?"

"It's for my Link."

I frown. "Your Link? But there's just me now, Shadow. I put the Four Sword back, remember?"

He doesn't say anything for a bit. "Yeah, I remember. We put Vaati in that weird vase, so now he won't bother Hyrule anymore."

"You changed your choker."

He looks confused. "I did?"

"Yeah." I reach over and trace the shape of the triangle-in-a-triangle. "Didn't it used to look like Vaati?"

He looks down, though he can't see it since he's still got it on. "Yeah, it did. A red eye with wings. What is it now?"

"It's a triangle with a red triangle in the middle."

"When did it...?" He looks up, staring off into nothing. "It broke."

"It broke?"

"When Vaati was sealed away, it curled up and the strings frayed, so I had to stop wearing it." He unties it and takes it off, looking it over. "Link had it recast for me."

"No, I didn't."

He looks at me, but it's like he's looking at me from incredibly far away. "No, not you. Another Link. A knight. He had it fixed so I could wear it, and he picked a Triforce because it seemed fitting. Don't you recognize it?"

A Triforce? I've only heard of the Force. Is it the same thing? No, I know the word. The Triforce is...

I groan; I feel like someone just kicked me in the head.

"Are you back?"

"Who's supposed to be here, Dark?"

He sighs. "You at least know I'm Dark. That's a start. Do you remember where we are?"

"Kakariko Canyon, somewhere." I'm not quite sure where we are, exactly. "I lost track with all the curves."

Dark laughs. "That's good enough."

"Where'd Vael go? Wasn't he in here?"

"He just left," Dark says with a small nod. "I met him in the hallway. You did a good job confusing him. I had to explain to him what happens with you sometimes."

"Damn... I hadn't wanted him to know." I sigh. Not much chance of that, apparently. "I guess I should've told him myself."

"It's all right. I explained it to him. Oh, right." He hops up and picks up the tray. "Here's your lunch."

A bowl of stew and a couple of sandwiches; it looks good to me. I claim the tray, and it isn't until I start eating that I realize it's been days since I last ate. I hadn't been hungry before, but now I'm ravenous. Dark apparently notices, too; I hear him laugh.

It doesn't take that long to finish, and then I set the tray to the side and lean back against the headboard. "That helped. Thanks, Dark."

He sits down next to me with a grin; he's put his choker back on. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

I take a deep breath. How should I put this? "Why were you in such a hurry to leave earlier? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I did. I should've learned to stop making assumptions by now."

"What are you talking about?"

He shakes his head. "It's nothing. Don't worry about me; you've got yourself to deal with."

I scowl. "That isn't going to work, Dark. I worry about the people I care for. I was worried about you after you left."

"I was worried about you, too, especially after I got back to Kakariko City and you were missing. You do realize how lucky your timing was, don't you? If we hadn't met you on the road to the site, I was going to start down the canyon after you."

"I'm sorry we worried you so much. I didn't realize how long we were gone until we met you."

He nods. "I figured, especially after hearing you were at a fairy fountain. Fairy magic's good for things like that." He brushes some of my bangs out of my face. "But you're here, so I can relax for now."

For now. Those two words are pretty heavy, but they're true. We can't stay here forever, after all. There are too many other things we have to deal with right now. This is far from over, and there's still plenty of chances for one or both of us to end up hurt or worse.

"Did any of you check out the old temple after we left? Ralph and his Moblins were trying to break down one of the walls."

Dark shakes his head. "No, we didn't. The princess made sure it'll be guarded for a while."

"There's something there. Otherwise, Ralph wouldn't have been trying to break in. There's _got_ to be something there, and I want to know what. That way, if it is something that can be used against us, we can keep it from happening."

"You're not going there now."

"Why not?"

Dark crosses his arms. "Because you're going to spend the rest of the day _resting_ so you don't pass out again. Tomorrow, now, I'll go with you."

I sigh. "And the others?"

"The princess is attempting to get news from outside of the city, and Kafei is being a bodyguard. Shad left earlier to get back to the university; apparently he came up with something he just has to go look into now. Vael's going to be staying close for a while. I don't think the princess entirely trusts him, not that I can blame her.

"Oh, right, and Ralph's going to be a prisoner for a while. I guess if Vael did it, we could ask him to undo it, but personally," he smirks, "I like the idea of the bastard being nice and harmless. All that magic, and all he can do is squeal and hope we're not going to hurt him."

I nod. That's probably best. If we turn him back, he'll probably just teleport away, and now he knows where our safe house is; that's dangerous knowledge. "So is Vael going with us tomorrow?"

"Probably so. I don't really want to leave him here with just the princess and twitchy boy for company, and besides, it seems the three of us are in this together whether we want to be or not." He stretches. "But that's tomorrow. Today, we've got other things to worry about."

"I thought I was supposed to be resting?" I have to ask.

Dark stands up and pulls me up off the bed. "Yeah, you're going to, and I just happen to know a good way to do that. Besides, it's been several days, so you could use a good, hot bath anyway."

"But --"

"Relax, I got our stuff out of the saddlebags, so we've got extra clothes. Now come on. It'll help, I promise."

"All right, I'm coming." I say, following him down the hallway. One way or another, he doesn't seem so distant now, so I must've said something right at some point. That's one less thing to worry about, at least, and hopefully tomorrow I can call the temple the same.

At the same time, I have this bad feeling that it won't be that simple. Nothing is, anymore.

Dark grabs me by the arm and pulls me into the bathroom. "I know that look; no thinking today. If I have to distract you until you fall asleep, then I will."

"Dark, I can handle myself." I step inside and try to close the door behind me.

He catches the door and follows me in. "Oh, I know you can. I just want to make sure you actually rest for once." He leans in, and he kisses me, nipping gently at my lower lip as he pulls back. "Understand me?"

"Y-yeah, I do..." My face feels hot.

Dark laughs. "See you when you get done, Link." And he steps outside, easing the door shut behind him.

I shake my head and can't hold in a quick laugh. I think I needed that. And even if I didn't, I know I liked that.

Maybe I _will_ be able to rest today.


	15. The Traitor's Blade

_Author's Note: You remember how before chapter one, I warned how there would eventually be spoilers for the entire series? That includes _Spirit Tracks.

* * *

**The Traitor's Blade**

The lights of Kakariko City shine in the distance, a thousand points of light all blurring into a glowing haze that gets dimmer by the moment; the lightening sky is washing out the glow. The weather report says the city and most of the canyon got snow yesterday, and that there's more expected for today.

We seem to have been lucky up here, because we didn't get any snow. That's just as well. The roads up here are bad enough without snow, and I at least have somewhere I want to go.

I want to check the old cemetery. I didn't have the chance to get a good look around the other day, but I have to know what's there. The cult clearly believes something important is there, after all. I'm tired of running behind. I have to catch up before something else happens. There are already enough people dead, and that madman doesn't care how many he kills - the museum was proof enough of that, but now that he's attacked a temple...

I sigh and lean my head against the window; the glass is cold against my skin. I shouldn't be awake this early - it's not even sunrise yet, after all - but I can't help it. I can't get back to sleep with this nagging at me.

What have we been so close to without noticing all this time? What have _I _been so ignorant of?

I shake my head and step away from the large windows. It's almost dawn, so everyone else will be waking up soon. I should probably head back to my room before anyone notices me. I'm still supposed to be resting.

The house is still quiet when I slip back into my room and ease the door shut.

"Finally decided to come back, huh?" Dark's sitting over by the window; there's just enough light coming through the window to let me tell he's facing me.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

He shakes his head. "I was wondering how long it would take you to come back. What were you up to?"

"I was watching the city lights." And thinking, but I don't feel like telling him that.

"You're impatient," he says simply, crossing his arms. "Very impatient."

I walk over and sit on the edge of the bed, sighing. "So says the person who goes on about never having enough time."

He seems to tense at that. Good. I don't need to be told I'm being impatient; I know I am. I want to be at the old cemetery looking around for clues _now_, not sitting in a room in a safehouse I'm not certain is really safe. I don't know what to think, really. It's all so crazy.

A month ago, things were normal. Well, as normal as things get with Dark around. Two weeks ago, the only real concern I had was the Gala. I pull out my watch and flip it open, angling it so I can read the date on its face.

Has it really only been a week and a half since the attack on the museum? It feels so much longer than that. I sigh again.

"You're thinking too much again." Dark says.

"A week and a half," I reply. I shake my head. "Two weeks ago, none of this had happened."

"Then calm down. We have time."

"Do we? How do we know they don't have all the pieces in place already? I mean, if..." I have to force it out; I still can't believe it, "if this is Chambers' doing... He's methodical. He wants everything in its place and all the holes filled. If he's behind this, he probably has this all on a schedule."

"Link..."

"What are we supposed to do, Dark? We can't just sit here."

"We can't run off without a plan, either." He sounds irritated. "I know we're behind, but we've got to be careful. We know what he wants, and if we're not careful, we're going to play right into his hands."

That's right. He's been after the Master Sword all along. If we get careless - no, if _I_ get careless, then... If we lose the Master Sword, it's over, isn't it?

"You just don't know what it means to rest, do you?" Dark's standing in front of me now; when did he move? "I know you want answers, Link, but there are limits to how long you can push yourself."

"I rested yesterday."

"That was yesterday."

"Dark..."

He puts his hands on my shoulders and leans in slightly. "I'm serious, Link. You don't even know for sure what's in that old ruin, yet you're keeping yourself awake worrying about it."

"It has to be something important! Why else would Ralph and his Moblins be there? They were looking for something! That wall..." That's it! "There's something behind that wall, isn't there?"

"Like I know? There's only one way to find out, and that's to bust the thing down and look." He leans back and crosses his arms again. "Are you going to be able to break the wall down, Historian?"

I glare. "We don't have to break it down, just move it!"

"Which takes time."

Damn it, he's got a point. To preserve it, it would take an entire team and a lot longer than I want to spend. Besides, how do we know that there aren't others there to continue where Ralph left off? But then the wall would be...

Can I destroy something so ancient and priceless just to see what's behind it? No, I... I can't. It's not my place to decide something like that. I can't rule what is and isn't worthy of destruction. At the same time, I need to know what may or may not be in there. If there is something there, I can't let the cult get their hands on it, no matter what.

"I'll figure something out!" I snap. I don't know what yet, but hopefully I will by the time we get there.

"Sure you will." Dark says, leaning back and stretching. "First, though, let's go see if Vael's up yet. I'm ready to leave whenever you two are ready."

I shake my head. "I'm ready to leave now, honestly." And I am. I could've left a couple of hours ago if not for it being before dawn.

"I see. Ah, yes, thank you very much for checking for me." Shad sets the phone back into its cradle and sighs. "According to the paperwork, there won't be anyone at the site for another couple of weeks. You should be able to investigate to your heart's content."

'You'? "You aren't coming?" I ask.

Shad shakes his head and sits back at the table, reaching for his mug. "No, I believe I'll stay here. If things go badly, I'm afraid I won't be much help. Besides, the princess and I were going to discuss the situation a bit more, if that's all right. I have copies of all of the notes from the last few years with me."

That's a good idea; I haven't had the chance to pour through all of the documentation from the excavation. Shad's much more familiar with the work than I am, anyway. I couldn't even pretend to say what they've done in the last year.

"Then Shad's staying, and I know the princess is staying," Dark says, looking around. "And I'll assume you're staying with her, Kafei?"

"Of course. I will look after the princess," Kafei replies, his voice even.

"All right, so Link and I are going -"

Vael sighs. "I'm going, as well."

Dark nods. "Link and Vael and I are going, and I don't know how long this'll take."

I stare down at my coffee. Should I take the Master Sword, just in case? I don't know. I want to keep it nearby, but... if something happens, I'm still not that good with it, and there might be a chance I'd lose it - and if we lose it, we lose pretty much all the advantage we have.

"Ready to go, Link?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." I stand up and grab my jacket. If I have my jacket, I have my knife; that'll work for now. I hope.

It's chilly out here, but I expected this. I just zip my jacket up. Thankfully the gauntlet the Great Fairy gave me includes a glove; I can still wear it without freezing my fingers off. The sooner we deal with this, the sooner we can all come back and warm up.

"Vael'll be riding with Link, so you're with me, big guy."

Who's Dark talking to? Oh, right. I remember seeing him a little last night. I don't know his name, but he's apparently another of Zelda's guards. It's weird. I've yet to see Kafei with any kind of armor, but his friend wears a bulky pair of gauntlets. I wonder why the guy's coming with us. No, I'm pretty sure I know. Kafei or Zelda or both want someone they trust to keep an eye on us.

I bet Kafei introduced him already. I'll just ask for his name later. My head's too focused on the cemetery to remember it if they told me anyway.

I pull my goggles up into place and climb onto Epona, starting the engine. I'll get his name later. I know what I really, truly_ need_ to know - he's a friend. We can trust him. I just hope we don't really need him. I don't want to have to fight now; there's been too much fighting the last few days, and I really just want to rest and try to make this all make sense.

Someone climbs on behind me and wraps arms around my waist. I tense slightly, but then I catch purple hair in one of the mirrors. Oh, that's right. Vael's riding with me. I close my eyes and take a slow breath of the cold morning air. I need to calm down, to focus... Yes, I want to investigate the cemetery, but first we have to get there. The roads should be fine, but still, these are winding, rocky roads even in good weather. I have to pay attention to what I'm doing, or I'll crash.

At this rate, I'm going to drive myself crazy.

Dark revs his engine, and I look over him. He nods his head and waves forward. Apparently he wants me to lead the way. I probably do know these roads better than he does. Come on, Link, I think; get yourself together.

A quick glance in my mirror to make sure Vael is ready, and then I nod at Dark and pull out. This stretch of road may be unfamiliar, but it's the same kind of road as the rest of the canyon, so it's not a very difficult ride. It takes me a minute or two to figure out where exactly the nearly-hidden road to the safehouse meets the main road through the canyon, but I do. And once I know where I am, it's easy to lead the way to the cemetery.

I round the final corner before the cemetery and hit the brake. There's a car in the parking area.

No one's supposed to be out here today.

I want to convince myself that maybe someone forgot to write something down, or that maybe whoever Shad talked to checked the wrong page, or _something_, but... the car doesn't have any kind of college stickers on it. As I park my bike, I try to tell myself there's a perfectly reasonable explanation, even though I know that something is very wrong here. Very, _very_ wrong.

Dark pulls up beside me and kills his engine. I do the same; I hope we haven't been heard yet.

"Link, are you all right?"

"Seems we've been too slow," Kafei's friend says, getting off Dark's bike.

Dark climbs off after our bodyguard and stretches. "Then let's get moving."

"We can't all go in at once; it may be a trap."

The guy has a point. "I'm going in," I say. "The rest of you can follow whenever you want."

"Are you sure you should be taking point?" our bodyguard says, "Let me. You can follow me if you wish, but let me lead."

I want to say I can take care of myself, but he's _got_ to be more observant than I am. I nod at him and follow him into the old ruins. I hear voices. At least I think it's voices; it sounds almost like chanting, though it's faint enough I can't even really figure out where it is. Whatever it is, it sends a chill down my spine. I grit my teeth and walk faster. The wall is gone, replaced with a pile of scattered rubble and lights in the room beyond. I tense at the sight. It's one more irreplaceable thing these bastards have destroyed.

I creep closer and peer into the room. The air is cold and half-stale, and the lights are feeble and flickering. I don't see any people, just a couple of lanterns sitting on the floor. Okay, the voices aren't coming from in here, so where are they coming from?

Our bodyguard is checking the other side of the room, so I decide to check the now-open room since I have the chance. There's a sarcophagus in here; the lid is off and broken. This _is_ a grave, then. I walk slowly over to the sarcophagus. The corpse is nothing more than a skeleton, though the armor it's wearing is strangely intact. It's clearly old, but I can still tell that it's well-made. It's dark; I've never seen armor that looked almost black before...

...or have I? My head's getting fuzzy again.

Do I hear footsteps, or am I just remembering them? I'm not sure. I start to turn towards the sound, but all I see is a flash of moving black and a rush of air, and then I'm on my stomach, half in and half out of the sarcophagus, my face only inches away from the skeleton's dark breastplate.

There's some kind of symbol on it, though whatever it is, it's obscured. Someone has scratched a crude yet recognizable Triforce over it.

I think I hear voices, but they're so faint and far away... I try to shake my head, but I can't move; my gaze is locked onto that scratched-on Triforce. The voices start getting louder, chanting something that I can't make out. The sound fluxes, reverberating one moment and whispered the next.

I know this armor.

Then there's a strange chinging sound, followed by a grunt of effort on one side of me and a groan of pain on the other.

"Link, are you all right?"

I remember screams and shrieks and a victory bonfire.

The chinging sounds again, though softer and slower. "Link, answer me!"

"You're too late!"

I remember the weight of steel and dead yellow eyes narrowed with laughter.

"Link!"

I remember his laugh of triumph and how it changed to rage and then desperation as I turned away and left him without the one thing he needed most.

"Accept this sacrifice and awaken!"

I remember my armor.

There's a loud grunt above me, along with the sounds of a struggle, but I barely hear any of it.

I'm sprawled out on top of my own corpse. This is my grave...

"Awaken now, O great Lord Ganon!"

Someone broke into my grave. Someone is trying to _desecrate my corpse_.

I snap my head up just in time to feel a dagger graze my cheek, leaving a thin slice and narrowly missing my ear. Another man grabs the one who holds the knife, and behind him I see a third man staggering to his feet. I don't know who is who, but I know who just tried to kill me.

It's an incredibly awkward motion, but I yell and leap, slamming into the men struggling for the knife and snatching the blade from their hands when they both flinch. I snap my arm back and then forward in one quick stab, burying the long, thin blade in the neck of the man who cut me.

The other man who had been struggling for the knife steps back and holds up his gauntlet-clad hands. "It's okay, Link. I'm on your side, remember?"

I don't trust him, though he was trying to get the knife from the first man. If I knew why, I'd know if I could trust him. For now, I pull the blade out of the now-dead man's neck and point it at him.

"Keep your distance."

"Very well. I - behind you!"

I turn, catching sight of the figure trying to sneak up on me as I do. Such a pathetic attempt at an ambush! I lash out with the blade, slashing his neck open. He cries out and staggers back, clutching at his throat. It's a shallow wound; I'm used to fighting with a much longer blade.

I step towards him to finish the job, but a hand clamps onto my shoulder and turns me around. I snarl and lash out again, only to be blocked by a bulky gauntlet. I push harder; I'll break the block and then finish this.

But I can't. What's going on here? I should be more than strong enough for this! Why are my arms shaking so much?

"Link, snap out of it. I'm on your side!"

I try to get leverage, but I can't. Why am I so weak? This isn't like me! Yet I am weak, and I'm being pushed backwards and - _no_, I won't lose! I refuse to lose!

There are more voices; I still don't recognize any of them. I manage to brace one foot against the sarcophagus and try to take full advantage of it. I don't get the chance. My attacker and I are engulfed in some kind of strange magic that seems to suck the air from my lungs. I try to keep fighting, but everything is fading...

xXx

"- could have warned me about that."

"Sorry, but I didn't have the chance."

"Yeah, and he'd have stabbed you if you gave him the opening, y'know."

"What was that, anyway? He just went crazy. I've never seen a historian who could fight, especially like that."

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Is he awake yet?"

"Give him a bit. He's not as tough as either of you are."

I groan; my chest hurts.

"Oh, hey, you finally woke up," Dark says, leaning in to look down at me. Down? Yes, I'm lying on the stone floor. When did I...?

Vael kneels next to me. "Easy. You need a chance to recover from that."

"...from what?" I manage to force out.

Dark leans in closer. "From yourself, basically. Remember anything about a knife?"

I do. "They were going to... kill me."

"Sacrifice you, yeah."

"Someone... someone mentioned Ganon, but..."

Dark flinches, closing his eyes and nodding. "Yeah, I know. Ganon's not here."

"What happened?" I ask, immediately deciding I don't want to know. If I'm remembering right, I... I just killed two people.

Farore, I'm going to be sick.

"A memory got the better of you, and unfortunately for those cultists, he wasn't exactly the most merciful of Hyrule's heroes," Dark says; he's forcing himself to keep his voice even.

I close my eyes and focus on just breathing. In, out; in, out. I don't want to remember bowing to a man with dead eyes, nor do I want to remember how disturbingly satisfying it was to blow his tower into rubble, but I don't have a choice. The memories are replaying in my head just the same.

The greatest traitor Hyrule had ever known; that's what they called that Link. Hair white as snow and eyes like ice, a man who'd kill without a thought... That's what I let them think, the lie I crafted to try and earn Ganon's favor. Not because I wanted it, no - I despised that bastard with every ounce of my being, and it had taken all of my willpower to bow to him and not show how defiant I felt.

I had tried to break the cycle that time, to kill Ganon once and for all... That's why I pretended to serve him, to let him think he'd somehow corrupted the Chosen Hero, all so I could maybe, _maybe_ learn the secret to killing him once and for all.

It... it didn't work. All I did was make a mess of things. A war broke out, a war I might have been able to prevent had I stayed in the ranks of the Knighthood with my adoptive father and not appeared to betray all of Hyrule.

Dark had to take my place. He was the one who fought Ganon with sacred steel in hand, not that Link. I remember that most vividly of all, of standing on the hilltop with the forces under my command, watching and waiting for Ganon to signal us to charge in as reinforcements.

I can only imagine the look on his face when I answered that signal by turning and attacking my own men. I carved a path through the army that led all the way back to his dark tower, and there I demolished the whole thing.

And then I... no, I don't want to remember that, no... I've already remembered dying once!

I roll over onto my side and flinch. My chest is on fire now.

"Link, are you all right?"

I want to open my eyes, but I'm scared of what I'll see. I don't want to see the inside of the old temple in Lakewood; I _don't_. "Where are we?"

"We're in that old tomb you wanted to investigate, remember?" Dark's voice is even and calm; I bet he's forcing it. "We rode here from the safehouse."

The safehouse, that's right. The cabin up along the canyon wall, the place I never would've imagined belonged to Princess Zelda. Vael and Dark and me and the guy whose name I don't know all came out here.

Wait... Kafei's friend wears a pair of bulky gauntlets, and I remember - he's the one who stopped me! I tried to - to kill him.

That's a brilliant way to make allies, I think darkly, just go crazy and try to stab them to death. I need to apologize to him, assuming he'll accept it. I can't say I'd blame him if he didn't. I know that it was a memory, not me, but... I tried to kill someone.

And I did more than try with - no, I don't want to think about that. I don't.

Someone's whistling. It's a pretty little song, a bit cheerful but also a little solemn. I finally open my eyes and sit up. My chest still aches a bit, but it's nothing like it did a bit ago.

Kafei's friend is leaning against the wall near the doorway, his eyes shut. He's the one whistling. Dark and Vael are nowhere to be found.

I stand up. Wait, there were people here earlier, right? I couldn't have imagined doing that, could I? I don't see anyone in here besides the two of us.

"Where'd everyone go?"

"From what shadow boy said, they're going to try and question the one still alive."

Still alive? Then I didn't kill the one I went after second. I sigh at that. They have to be cultists - they were trying to revive Ganon, from the sounds of it - but I'm not a murderer.

That other me, now... I can't really speak for him, can I?

"Are you all right?" I ask.

He chuckles. "I'm fine. It'll take a lot more than some possessed historian with a knife to take me down."

When he puts it that way, it makes me feel even crazier than I already do. "Dark told you, didn't he?"

"A little. He said there were some things I needed to know about you. I think I would've preferred to have known a bit earlier, but I know enough for now." He chuckles again. "Keeps things interesting."

I sigh. "Why'd you come with us, anyway?"

"Kafei wants me to keep an eye on you; the princess wants to make sure you don't get too hurt. So, here I am. If you're not up to moving yet, stay put. Shadow boy can handle himself, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he can." I walk over towards the sarcophagus and lean against it. This is so weird, seeing my own grave like this.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't sound it."

"Someone tried to use my grave to resurrect Ganon! How 'all right' am I supposed to sound?"

He shrugs a bit at that. "You tell me."

"This has never happened to me before. I've never seen my own grave like this..."

"You wanted to look around; what was it you were looking for?"

I tighten my grip on the edge of the sarcophagus. "I wanted to know what was behind this wall that Ganon's cult was so interested in."

"Ah." He doesn't say anything for a moment, but then he adds, "They must've thought that was him."

They must have. The greatest traitor Hyrule has ever known; I always assumed it was someone who served Ganon, so connecting this place to him isn't exactly a huge stretch of the imagination. That must be what they thought, too, which is why Ralph and his Moblins were here before.

But it isn't Ganon. It's a hero... a rather tarnished hero, but still a hero.

We've all been chasing a false lead.

I force myself to lean in and look down at the armored skeleton again. He's not alone in there; a long two-handed blade rests beside him. Buried in full armor _and_ with his weapon... I'm honestly surprised. The fact he - I - deserved a proper burial at all is amazing enough, but a tomb of his own suggests he was buried with honor.

I reach down and lift the blade out of the sarcophagus. It's long, almost as long as I am tall, and thin and, strangely enough, it still looks sharp. The armor's in incredible shape, as well. He's nothing but a skeleton, but the armor's almost sturdy enough to still be worn.

The sword's also pretty unwieldy, but then I'm just getting used to the shorter Master Sword, too.

"That's a bit big for you, don't you think?" Kafei's friend asks with a quick chuckle. "You're off balance."

"I know that." I hold the blade in my right hand, planning on carrying it out, but there's a burst of magic and a flash of light, and it vanishes.

He whistles in appreciation. "That's a nice trick."

It just disappeared? I turn back to the sarcophagus; there must be a spell on it that won't let what's in get too far from it. I don't know why anyone would put something like that on a grave, but...

The armored skeleton lays just as he has since I first saw him, but the sword isn't there.

Where is it? The sword disappeared. I saw it disappear! I reach up and rub my temples. It's probably just as well; I'm not sure if anyone else can trust me with a blade after what just happened.

I need to get out of this tomb. "I'm going outside."

"I'm coming with you, then. Shadow boy wants me to keep an eye on you."

To make sure I don't do anything stupid, I bet. I shake my head and start down the corridor. I hear voices, yelling voices.

"I already said I don't know! I only follow orders!"

"All any of you ever _do_ is follow orders," Dark sneers. "They don't send _two people_ unless it's two people they can trust to do the job. Now start talking."

"I don't know anything!"

They're in the main room, Dark and Vael and a man with a bandaged neck. The man stands in a glowing circle on the floor; from the way Vael's staring off into nothing, it's probably some kind of magical barrier. Weird, I don't sense it. I should sense it, shouldn't I?

I sense something, something familiar and old and close, so very close. It's too close to be the barrier, and even if it was the barrier, what I'm feeling isn't Vael's magic. I flex my fingers, especially my right hand; it feels stiff all of a sudden.

"N-no... No! Keep him away!"

I look up; Dark and the man are both looking at me, and I swear neither of them are seeing me. I've got a decent idea who Dark's seeing, but who does the man think he's seeing?

Dark just smirks. "You'd better start talking, or I'll let him finish what he started."

The man pales.

"Shut up!" I snap. I don't want to be an example, not for something like this.

"I don't know! Please, someone believe me!"

I grit my teeth and walk past them, heading outside. I hear the sound of someone falling, but I don't look. I don't want to think about that. I don't want to think about any of this.

I walk over to one of the old gravestones and lean against it. I still can't believe it; all this time, I've been working just a wall away from my own tomb. That's crazy enough without... no, I don't want to think about that. That's not me; I'm not a killer.

I'm just a historian, no more, no less. "Just a historian," I say softly. My voice is strained and weak, and the words ring hollow even to me. How is any one going to trust me ever again? How am I supposed to wield the Master Sword with bloody hands?

I fall to my knees and lean forward, resting my head against the cold, snow-coated stone. This isn't right...

My gauntlet looks different now. It's a slightly darker sheen now, and there's a sword engraved along its surface, stretching from my elbow up to the metal covering the back of my hand. When did it change and - I know that sword. The engraving is of the sword that was in the tomb, the one that disappeared from my hand!

Does that mean the gauntlet somehow absorbed the sword? But why? That sword was... I close my eyes. Yes, it was with that sword that the man in the tomb betrayed Ganon and helped destroy the evil army, but the weapon itself was forged by the best smith serving under the Evil King.

Doesn't that make it an evil sword? Should the fairy magic repel it? This doesn't make any sense.

"Link, are you all right?"

"Stay back," I force out.

Dark sighs; I hear footsteps approaching. "You're moping, aren't you?"

"I think I have enough of a reason to, if I am."

"Maybe. You killed a cultist, so what? Need I remind you that the man you killed was trying to sacrifice you? I'd call that self-defense more than anything."

"I would've killed the other man, too, if I hadn't been stopped." I slit his throat, after all. I'm the reason his throat was bandaged when I saw him... "What did you do with him?"

"For now, he's unconscious. I doubt we're getting anything else out of him; he's stubborn enough that he's keeping whatever secrets he has." I hear motion, and when I look up, Dark's sitting next to me. "I'm not sure if he's really worth bothering with anymore."

I don't think I like the sound of that. "Then what are we going to do with him?"

Dark shrugs. "Kill him. It's not like it's that hard. Kill him and drag him out here with his buddy."

"We can't leave the bodies here!"

"What else are we going to do with them? Ground's frozen, remember? We can't dig a hole and kick them in it. And the bikes are packed as it is, y'know."

I sigh. "Still, he's... he's a person, Dark."

"He came here to revive his great pig-king, remember? He and his buddy broke down the wall and into a tomb, and that's okay because he's a person? So, what, Moblins can die, but humans need to be protected no matter what?"

"That's not what I'm saying! I - You - How does this make us any better than them, Dark? How is them killing people at the museum _evil_ and us killing them here _good_? Murder is murder!"

"How many Moblins have you killed, Link? Not just this life, but over all of them. How many monsters died in the name of returning peace to Hyrule?" His voice is almost eerily calm. "That's all those two are. They're monsters. One of them already got the death he deserved, and the other one deserves the same."

I shake my head. That can't be right! I can't see people as monsters; I can't... _They're all the same inside, man and monster... They all bleed the same; all die the same..._ No, I can't let myself think like that!

"Link, are you all right?"

Someone grabs my shoulder. I growl and pull away, trying to shake whoever it is off. I twist and fall onto my back on the cold ground, shoving upward with my hands. A weapon; I need a weapon!

"Damn it, Link; snap out of it!"

Whoever has me pinned grabs me and yanks me up, holding me tight. Wait, he isn't fighting back... What is this? I don't know what to think, and I stop struggling; I'm confused.

"It's okay. Calm down, all right? I'm here." I know that voice. That's Dark. Why's he trying to calm me down?

"I'm okay," I reply. I'm not _fine_ by any stretch, but I'm okay for now.

He nods, though he still looks worried. "If you say so. Would it help if we got away from here? We still need to go back and tell the princess what we found here, after all."

"What about -?" A burst of magic cuts me off. By the time Dark and I scramble to our feet, Vael and Kafei's friend are staggering out of the ruins; our bodyguard has a cut on his face.

"Are you all right?" I call.

Vael holds up a hand, but Kafei's friend speaks first. "We're fine, but your hostage is in no position to answer any more questions."

"What?"

"It seems that they were prepared to die from the start," Vael replies. "I'm not sure what that was, exactly, but he triggered some kind of magical blast on himself."

Dark growls. "They're damned determined to keep their secrets."

"Loyalty doesn't just belong to those with good intentions," our bodyguard replies. "We're going, now." He heads for the bikes, walking quickly. "Magic like that would make a nice signal, don't you think?"

A signal? That isn't good at all. It's just the four of us, and there's a massive difference between being prepared for trouble and being equipped for a battle. I head for Epona.

Wait just a minute. If someone's close enough to intercept and recognize that magical burst as a signal something went wrong, then what's stopping that someone from following the bikes? "What if we're followed?"

Our bodyguard stops dead in his tracks and turns around. "That's a possibility. How well do you know these roads? Perhaps we can lose them..."

"There aren't enough roads for that, especially in weather like this." There isn't much dust with the snow, but not all of the roads are cleared off; they might be able to follow our tracks.

Dark turns to Vael. "Think you can handle another teleport?"

Vael seems to consider it. "I think I can, yes."

"Then let's try it."

xXx

The first of the city lights are flickering on in the distance. The sky is dark, darker than it should be this time of day. A storm is coming. I just hope it isn't too serious.

It's cold out here and getting colder, but I don't care. I don't want to be in there while they explain what happened at the tomb. I don't want to see the look on Zelda's face when the others explain me going crazy like that.

And I don't really know why, but I just have this urge to see Kakariko City safe and calm. I think I'm afraid it's going to be destroyed. It's selfish, I know, but I want it to be all right. More than anywhere else in Hyrule, I want Kakariko to be left standing.

I take a breath and try whistling the song I heard Kafei's friend whistling. It doesn't work very well; my lips are too dry. Why is the song familiar? The more I think about it, the more I swear I've heard it before - I've _played_ it before... I just don't remember what I played it on.

It doesn't really matter.

"There you are."

I turn towards the voice; it's Kafei's friend, walking towards me carrying the Master Sword in its sheath. Well, he's carrying it by the baldric, but either way, he's bringing me my sword.

"Why do you have that?"

"This?" He holds it out to me as he walks up. "Shadow boy wanted me to bring it to you. He didn't say why."

I just stare at the sheathed sword for a moment. I'm still wearing my gauntlet; do I dare even touch it? I have to try. If nothing else, I need to know if I can still use it or not.

There's no reaction from Sword or gauntlet when I take the sheathed blade from him and draw it. I set the sheath down, take a deep breath, and then rest the flat of the blade on my gauntlet.

Nothing happens.

"Are you all right?" He's watching me now. I can't blame him. Everything that happened earlier, and here I am with a sword in my hand.

"I'm fine," I reply, sheathing the Master Sword. If it doesn't react, then there's nothing evil about my gauntlet, but... No, I'm too confused to try and figure it out now, and the last thing I need is to dredge up the wrong memory.

The Master Sword should be reacting, shouldn't it? If not to the gauntlet, then to _me_, but it's not. I can sense the usual hum from it, but there's absolutely nothing out of the ordinary here.

Am I just overreacting to this? Maybe I am...

"We should head inside."

I shake my head. "You go on ahead."

"Suit yourself."

I listen to him walk away, and then I try whistling again. No, this won't work out here, so instead, I take one last look out at the city lights and then head back to the house. I close the door and start to kick my boots off, and as I do, I hear whistling.

He's whistling that song again.

I have to ask him what that song is, I decide. Not right now - right now, there's something much more important that I need to know - but maybe tomorrow.

"There you are," Dark says softly, leaning against the wall and watching me shed my jacket.

"So, how'd it go?"

"What do you mean, how'd it go? We explained what happened... minus the unnecessary details, of course."

What is he talking about? "Unnecessary details? Like what?"

"You know what I mean. Unnecessary stuff like you getting mixed up."

"That's not exactly unnecessary, Dark."

He shrugs. "Hey, you weren't here, and those of us who were decided it wasn't worth mentioning. If you want to go tell her, feel free."

"How am I supposed to explain that?"

Dark leans in close. "Exactly. Look, I know you don't like what happened, but it's not like you're running down a city street using the Master Sword on everyone you pass. You killed one man in self-defense, Link. That hardly makes you a monster."

"Still, I... I killed him. I killed someone..."

"You killed a crazy cultist who was trying to revive Ganon. He was only human in appearance, trust me."

"Dark..."

He sighs. "All right, ask your sword. Does it still consider you a hero? Think about it, Link. You could've died back there."

I flinch. I don't want to be reminded of that. I'm lucky, I know. If I hadn't looked up when I did, I'd probably be dead right now. Still, that isn't how it was supposed to happen.

"Link, think about it this way. The one we did capture killed himself; one way or another, both of those men would be dead right now. You couldn't have saved him." He reaches out and takes my hands, lacing our fingers together.

And I don't know why, but I remember the night the bus crashed, the night Dark killed those cultists at Riverside Park. "You lied to me."

Dark looks confused at that. "No, I didn't."

"That night you said that... that the man who destroyed that village wasn't me. You lied. He was me." I look at my gauntlet and the engraving of the sword and try not to flinch. Was he really a traitor if he was doing what he thought was right? He may have been seen as a traitor, but in the end, he saved Hyrule just the same. "He helped stop Ganon."

He meets my gaze and smiles faintly. "Yeah, and at that moment, you needed to hear what I told you. Would you have believed me if I tried to explain it?"

I barely believe it now, really. "Probably not."

"See? I wasn't lying about all of it. I'm the one with bloody hands, Link, not you. Even when the traitor-hero did what he did, most of it was because of things I did when he was a kid. I made a lot of mistakes that time, as did you, and it took a lot of work to earn back what we lost. But we did. You've got your sword, Link. You may not realize how important that is right now, but it means everything."

I just nod. I don't know what to say right now. It's like the more I learn, the less I know.

"Come on, Link; let's get something to eat. We'll figure this out later."

He's right. We'll just have to figure something out. That's all we can do. Maybe the man Dark and Vael questioned said something useful; I'll have to ask later.

For now, I think I do need a distraction.


	16. In the Depths of the Red Sky

**In the Depths of the Red Sky**

I'm up well before dawn again today, and just like yesterday, all I can do is stare out the window at the darkness beyond. I don't really want to look out there, but I don't know what else to look at.

The room holds too many things loaded with too many details - the Master Sword propped against the wall, my riding gear, Dark asleep in the bed - and I don't want to look at myself. I know full well that I'm Link Masters, but I'm also afraid of just who will be staring at me from that mirror.

That other me may be a traitor, but is he evil? He doesn't seem evil, not really, but then again, not everyone who seems evil is, and not everyone who seems nice is either. I know that I can still touch the Master Sword, but that doesn't change what he did yesterday.

I sigh and lean against the window. If this was a legend I was analyzing, I would probably note that there are various levels of betrayal and that it is possible to betray the people without betraying the kingdom. But this _isn't_ merely a legend to analyze, a tale to pick apart; this is me. There's a question I can't answer, and it bothers me.

What exactly defines "good"? Is it possible to do not-so-good things in the name of Hyrule's greater good? In the end, Ganon fell again, and Hyrule was saved once more, but the cycle continued on nonetheless.

The cycle confuses me, as well. I'm well aware of all the various cycles in the world. I remember those from my natural sciences classes several years ago. But this is history. Is history meant to be cyclical? Is there some huge mistake that Hyrule keeps making that lets Ganon return, or is this merely how it's meant to be? If I can ever find an answer to that, I'd know whether or not all the other Links have been doing their duties or failing horribly.

It should be broken. Ganon is dead, dead and _gone_, yet somehow, evil is threatening Hyrule again. Why isn't it broken?

Maybe it is. Maybe it's already broken, and Dark and I are just being fools for thinking that it's still going. Maybe this isn't our fight at all. Maybe it's time for a new hero to emerge, but then why am I here, and why is the Master Sword awake because of me? I'm just so _confused_.

I climb to my feet and slip out of the room, heading into the large den so I can peer out the window at the city. It's quickly turned into a habit, and I'm not sure what I should think about spending so much time staring down at Kakariko City. I just feel so distant, now, almost like I'm not really human anymore.

Farore, that's a weird thought.

"I thought I heard someone down here." The voice is low and pretty deep, and there's a hint of tension in it that makes me uneasy. It's Kafei's friend, walking through the doorway. "It's just you."

"Yeah, just me." I don't know what else to say, really. I should probably apologize for making him think someone had broken in, but I just can't find the words.

"You don't look so good."

"I'm fine." I decide I'm going to change the topic. "What's that song you keep whistling? It sounds familiar."

"It does?" he sounds surprised by that, going over and sitting in one of the chairs. "You're the first person to ever tell me that."

That should bother me, I think, but it doesn't. I'm making a very bad habit out of knowing things no one else does. "What's it called?"

He shrugs. "I don't think it has a name."

Does it not have one, or has it just been lost to time? In the end, I suppose it doesn't really matter. "It's a pretty song."

He chuckles softly. "I guess it is."

The room goes silent for a few minutes. I'm not sure what to say. He seems to pick up on that, as he reaches up and calmly adjusts his high ponytail. Weird, he's not wearing his gauntlets now. His arms are pretty toned, but then again, so is the rest of him. He's taller than I am and more muscular. I'm not sure why I was so worried yesterday; I don't think I could defeat him in a battle of strength even if I absolutely had to.

"What's your name?" I ask softly. I think I'm calm enough to remember it now.

He gives me a piercing look and then smirks faintly. "You want to know?"

"Yes, I do."

He laughs at that, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. "And if I don't want to say?"

I'm not sure why the answer comes so quickly. "Everyone else involved in this has shared their name with the group. I don't see why you can't do the same."

He laughs again and seems to size me up. Didn't he do enough of that yesterday? "And to think, about this time yesterday, I thought you were nothing more than some nigh-useless historian the princess wanted us to help protect. You're just full of surprises."

"I've never been useless," I protest. Truth be told, though, I almost wish I was. If I was just a stereotypical historian, I wouldn't be able to defend myself, let alone anyone or anything else. If I was just a historian, I could be normal. I would be free from all of this.

He shrugs. "Everyone says that. All right, if you really want to know, it's Byrne Vasten."

I think I can remember that. I'm going to do my best. "What do you want me to call you?"

He shrugs again. "That's your business."

"Don't you have a preference? Even Dark has one." Then again, does Dark prefer just 'Dark', or does he just want to make it easier on people by not making them say his whole name?

Byrne just chuckles. "Call me what you want."

"All right." I turn back to the window. "What about you? Are you just here because the princess wants you to be?"

"I'm one of her guard. Dotour keeps an eye on her most of the time; right now, I'm his backup."

Right now? "Are you a replacement?"

He laughs at that. "I'm one of her guard," he repeats. "That doesn't mean I spend my every waking moment shackled to her royal ankle. Do you spend every single minute of your job attached to one person or thing?"

"That depends on which job you're asking me about," I reply. After all, I've barely let the Master Sword out of my sight since the museum.

"The one you take more seriously."

"I take them both seriously." Does he think I view this as a game?

"Could've fooled me. I haven't seen you act much like a historian, nor have I really seen you act like a swordsman. If this is taking your work seriously, then I hope I never see you slacking off."

I reach up and rub my temples; my head's starting to ache. He's barely known me for a day, and based on that one day - and it was a _terrible_ day, all things considered - he thinks he knows me. To an extent, though, Byrne's right. I haven't done much of anything lately. Even investigating that tomb hasn't gotten me anywhere.

I still don't know what Chambers and the others are up to. I still can't believe that _Chambers_, of all people, can be behind this at all. It's not like him, is it?

"There you are," I hear Dark say. "Do you have something against sleep?"

"No, I don't." I can't sleep, and so all I'm doing is thinking. I don't like being left alone to these thoughts.

"Well, I hope you two had a good talk, because you're coming back to bed now." He grabs me by the arm.

I hesitate. I don't really want to go back to that room, but it's not as if I'm getting anywhere being out here.

Dark apparently takes my hesitation as refusal. "C'mon, we're going back to bed. If I have to, I'll ask the big guy to carry you back there for me."

Byrne chuckles at that and stands.

I sigh. "All right, I'm coming." I let Dark lead me back to our room without a word. What could I say? I swear my thoughts are going in circles.

Dark doesn't say anything until we're back in our room with the door closed. Then he gives me a flat look. "What's your problem? You weren't doing this until we got here. Is it something about this house?"

"No. It's just a lot to take in all at once."

"I know it is, but you've got to sleep. There's no guarantee that things will calm down. You need your rest."

Yes, I do know that. That fact is being lost on the rest of my mind. "I can't sleep."

He gives my arm a little tug. "At least lay down. Even if you can't sleep, you can at least try to rest your body. Every little bit counts, Link, even if it's five minutes or something."

He's not going to stop until I relent, I decide, and right now, I can't find the words to even think about arguing. "All right, I'll try."

"That's all I'm asking."

At some point, I do doze off. It's much lighter when I open my eyes than I remember when I closed them, but it's not quite dawn yet. I ease myself out of bed, trying not to wake Dark, and then walk over to the window.

The twilight is tinted red.

Red sky at morning means storms today, but more importantly, it seems like an omen, like the Goddesses themselves are trying to warn of the trouble brewing somewhere in Hyrule. It's an eerie sight, one that sends a shiver down my spine.

And I find myself wondering again if I really am the hero Dark and the others think I am. I feel tiny, insignificant; I'm just one man. Even with Dark and Vael and the others all fighting on my side, it's a tiny group of us versus an entire army, and to make things even worse, the leader of that army is apparently a mage of no small power. How are we possibly supposed to fight against that?

I run a hand through my hair and turn away from the window. Nothing makes sense. I just want to find somewhere away from everyone and scream until my throat's raw. I can actually do that, I realize, noticing my goggles sitting with the rest of my riding gear. Yes, it's cold outside, but I know how to dress for riding in this, and I know how the canyon roads get in the snow. It won't be hard at all to just disappear for a while.

I glance over at Dark, who still looks asleep, and then I get dressed. It doesn't take me long to pull on most of my riding gear, either; I leave my gloves off to save trouble when I go to get my boots.

"Where are you going?" Dark asks.

Damn; I must've woken him up. "I just need to get away for a little while."

He's going to protest, I'm sure. He's going to insist on coming with me.

"Get away where?"

"I haven't decided yet."

He sits up and stretches. "When will you be back?"

"I haven't decided that either. Before nightfall, at the very latest." I'm going to come back, but first I need away from this house and everything in it for a while.

Dark just nods. "Maybe you should go by the Temple while you're out. It might help. You can use my helmet if you want; we'll have to get you a new one sometime. Oh, and take your gauntlet." When I sigh and open my mouth to protest, he holds up a hand. "I know, I know. Just take the gauntlet. You can leave everything else here, and I won't say a word as long as you take that. Call me paranoid, but I'm not letting you run around unprotected."

He has a point, I guess. I strap the gauntlet on over my jacket; I'll probably be outside, so it doesn't matter if I can take my jacket off easily or not.

"You're going to let me go?"

"I didn't think you wanted company," he says simply. Even though it's not that bright in here, I can see enough of his face to work out his expression; he looks oddly calm. "If you need time to think, take today. One day won't make much of a difference. Besides," he scowls, "we're waiting and watching, remember?"

That's one of the reasons I have to get out of this house, honestly. "I'll be back later."

"Suit yourself. I'll probably ride down to the Temple later this morning. Maybe we'll run into each other there."

"Maybe we will." Later this morning probably means closer to noon than dawn. I think I'll try to meet with him there, assuming I can find some semblance of peace between now and then. After all, we still need to talk about us. "When you head out, you can use my goggles since I'll have your helmet."

He nods. "Take care of yourself." There's more to those words than the obvious, but while I can recognize that, I don't know what he means.

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Some things you just have to work out for yourself. I don't like it, but then I can't really help you, either." He doesn't seem to like admitting that. "Just be careful, all right?"

I nod at him and pick up his helmet. It's just like mine, only a different color, but it still feels so weird to take it. "I will. I promise."

It takes a little while to navigate through the canyon's maze of roads, and it isn't long before I find myself over in the Kakariko Canyon National Park. The scenic loop through the park is still open, which really doesn't surprise me much. The park only closes when the weather is bad enough that they can't send out the plows, and the road's been plowed recently, so that isn't a problem. That said, there don't seem to be many people here.

That's nothing unusual. The sun may have risen on my way over here, but it's still very early morning. I ease along the loop, heading past the visitor center and deeper into the canyon. Normally, there'd be at least one of the Crawlers, Kakariko's special six-wheeled buses, carrying people to and from town and through the canyon, but it's too early for that. I don't think it's too snowy for the Crawlers to run, but I can't remember their schedule out here; in town, the roads will be clearer.

I scowl beneath my visor. Why am I worrying so much about the Crawlers? If I just have to see one, there will be several running their routes through Kakariko City later; I'll probably see one on my way to the Temple.

I continue down the road until I reach a trailhead. I don't remember which trail it is, but the parking lot's empty, so I'll be alone. I park my bike and start up the trail, my boots crunching on the snow. This is one of the trails leading to an overlook; it's only a couple of minutes before I reach the overlook itself, the wooden fences and benches covered with a layer of snow.

Before me stretches part of the canyon, the red and brown of the rock walls a harsh contrast with the white snow. This place hasn't changed much since I was born. It's been like this, tall walls reaching skyward, for years.

The sun's up; harsh shadows loom everywhere I look. And above, the sky is still tainted shades of red.

I brush some of the snow off the bench closest to the fence and stand atop it for a better look around. The canyon is still and quiet, even more peaceful with all the snow. I yank my helmet off and scream.

"What am I supposed to _do_? I don't want this! Why did you pick _me_ for this?" My voice echoes off the canyon walls again and again, repeating my question until the last of the echoes fades.

There's no answer. Of course there isn't; who's there to answer me?

I hop off the bench and then flop down on it, setting my helmet next to me. "Some hero I am," I mutter.

"Even a hero has his moments of doubt," someone says nearby.

I whirl around, but there's no one and nothing but me and the overlook and my bootprints in the snow. "Who's there?"

There's a laugh. It's close, close enough I should be able to see who's laughing.

"You're properly wary, at least."

I see a flash of copper out of the corner of my right eye and turn towards it. There's still no trace of another person.

"I'm going crazy," I say.

I hear footsteps behind me, but this time I don't turn towards them. Instead I wait. If it is someone, then I'll see their shadow in a minute.

"No, you're not." It's a different voice, slightly higher pitched. "You're just confused."

"Of course I'm confused. Wouldn't you be?" I don't see a shadow. Why don't I see a shadow?

"Yeah, I was. But I did what I had to do."

"I'm _trying_, but I don't think I can. This is all just too much."

The first set of footsteps stop and a second one starts; this set is heavier. "Try to focus on what is important to you first, and deal with the rest as you can." The voice is a little deeper than the second, but not quite as deep as the first.

I shake my head. "I can't. Everything that's bothering me is important."

"One thing at a time, Link. One thing at a time."

"You make it sound like he has all the time in the world," the first voice says; now that there are others to compare it to, I can tell the first voice has a slight accent. It's not much, and I don't recognize it.

"We do, of course."

"Yeah!" the second voice says with a laugh. "There's nowhere he has to be right now."

I stand up and look around. I'm still the only one at the overlook. There aren't any other footprints on the trail, and from what I can see of the parking lot, Epona's still the only vehicle there.

"I _am_ going crazy..." There's no other explanation for this.

Someone laughs from over at the fence, and I turn around again.

Three men stand along the fence. There aren't any footprints - they aren't even sinking into the snow! - but there they stand just the same.

I stare at them. They can't be ghosts; they look too solid. One is shorter than the others and in some kind of uniform; his hair is light blond beneath his hat. Another is wearing a long, bulky cloak the color of sand and has a cloth mask over the bottom of his face; his hair is long, hanging to his waist at least, and copper. The third wears a green tunic over white and has a floppy green cap over his blond hair; he looks almost eerily calm.

All three of them have the exact same eyes: deep, vivid, _piercing_ dark blue eyes that almost seem to be looking at me through time itself. Maybe they are.

"Who are you?"

The uniformed one laughs nervously and rubs the back of his head. "I think we startled him."

"It cannot be helped; some things are just unnerving no matter how they're done," the one in green replies calmly. "We have to take advantage of what chances we're given."

"Still, this _is_ a bit sudden," the copper-haired one says with a shrug. "We're here to talk to you, Link. We've been trying to talk for a while now, but you haven't really been listening."

"That isn't possible. I've never seen any of you before!" That said, there's something nagging at me, something big.

The one in green turns to the other two and holds his hands up. "He's overwhelmed enough without us throwing more details he can't absorb at him." He turns to me and smiles gently, holding out a hand. "There is a logical explanation for all of this, I assure you. If you are willing to come with us, we can show you."

'Come with us'; how am I supposed to respond to that? I don't know these people. They don't even seem _natural_ - people can't walk on top of snow. It's just not possible. At the same time, they're willing to explain this, and I desperately need _something_ to start making sense.

Now I wish I had brought the Master Sword with me. Then I could at least tell if their hearts were evil or not. They don't seem out to hurt me, but I can tell they're all warriors. What if they're connected to that cult and have managed to track me down?

"Is something wrong?" the one in the uniform asks.

"I don't know if I can trust you," I reply. I don't see the harm in admitting that. "Who _are_ you?"

The three of them lean in and whisper between themselves for a moment, and then the one in green steps forward. "I assure you we can be trusted. We're all fighting on the same side."

"So you say, but how do I know that?" I've got to keep my wits about me; I have to stay skeptical. I don't even know for sure if I'm looking at _people_ at all.

He doesn't say a single word. Instead, he merely holds up something small and blue. "Will this suffice as proof?"

All I can do is stare. I've never seen it before in my life, but I _know_ it. It's a musical instrument, an ocarina, but it's so much _more_ than just a clay ocarina... I can hear notes in my head, a dozen different songs, some on an ocarina, others on a flute, and one that sounds almost like panpipes.

They're Link. They're three of the heroes who've come before me. How is this even possible?

I take a step backwards, but the motion doesn't stop and I start falling down into darkness. The next I know, I'm on my back on cool, smooth stone, but it's too warm here to be the canyon.

I sit up slowly, nudging my helmet as I move. It looks like I'm in a temple. The walls are covered in ornate carvings and massive stained-glass windows, and there's a raised dais in the distance. But this isn't like the temples I've been in. It feels serene and peaceful, yes, but there's something else here, a strange power that hums in the very stone, as well as an almost timeless feel.

After a long moment, I realize I'm not alone in here; there are several people standing on the dais or sitting along its edge. The copper-haired man from before is one of the ones sitting on the edge of the dais; his hair and long cloak look like sand and red dirt against the light gray of the stone. The young man in the uniform is here, too, sitting next to a young man in green and white, his blond hair messy and disheveled. The two are clearly lost in a conversation.

I should say something to get their attention, I think, though I don't know why. I feel very out of place here. It's a weird feeling, one that reminds me a bit of meeting the princess or the first day I met Chambers - I'm in a situation I don't really know how to handle.

"Are you going to do anything besides stand there staring?"

I turn towards the speaker. He's taller than I am, with hair and a small, neatly-trimmed beard the color of snow. Unlike all the others I see, he wears armor, well-made, ornate armor that looks almost black in the light coming through all the windows.

It _can't_ be. That armor belongs to a dead hero.

He smiles faintly. "You look as if you've just seen a ghost. I take it you remember me, then."

"I do." He's the traitor hero, but do I dare call him that? I know he accepted the consequences of his actions, but it just feels cold to call him traitor when he gave his very life to stop Ganon.

"Do you know where you are?"

"No. Should I?"

He laughs at that and starts walking towards the dais, waving for me to follow. His posture is proud and authoritative. "I think I'll let one of the others explain it. They're much better as this than I."

The others all stop their conversations and turn towards me as we reach the dais. Most of them are in green over white or brown or both, and most wear floppy green hats. But not all; there's the traitor and his armor and the copper-haired one and his cloak and then the young man in the uniform, though the traitor has a green cloak and the copper-haired man has a green headband, and the uniformed one is wearing a light green shirt underneath his uniform; I can see a bit of it peeking out above the collar of his uniform shirt.

And then there's me, in my green and black riding jacket. Every last one of us is wearing at least a little green.

"What's going on here?" I ask. "Am I dreaming?"

"You could say that, yes," the blond one who held up the ocarina earlier says, stepping forward. "I'm certain you know that some dreams are more than mere figments of imagination."

After my dream about the museum, how can I deny that? I nod.

"This is inside our soul," the one with the messy hair says with a slightly-cocky grin. "We brought you here so we could talk to you."

"This is my soul?" I look around. "Why does it look like a temple?"

The ocarina-bearer chuckles. "This is the Temple of Time as it last looked. This Temple has long since fallen into ruin, but for some of us, this is where we claimed our power."

Our power? Wait, does he mean...? "The Master Sword?"

"Yes. That is the blade most of us wielded."

"Only most?"

"Yup!" the messy-haired one says. "I wielded the Four Sword."

He's the one who fought Vaati. He's the one who split... I half sit, half fall onto the edge of the dais. "I can't believe this."

The traitor sits beside me, his armor clinking with the motion. "What is there to believe? That decision has been made for you for quite some time now."

"The only question remaining," one of the others says; I can't tell who, "is what you will do now."

"What am I supposed to do?" I ask, looking around the room at each of them in turn. They're all proud, defiant; I can see it on their faces. "I'm a historian, not a hero!"

"I'm a rancher," one of the others says. "I'm also the one who saved Hyrule and the Twilight Realm."

"I'm an engineer," the one in the uniform says. So that's what the uniform is.

"We're both knights."

"I'd barely used a sword before the trouble started."

"Being a hero is no mere job," the ocarina-bearer says, sitting on my other side. "It's a calling that few hear and fewer answer."

I shake my head. "I want to protect everyone, but I don't think I can do it. Everyone around me is so much stronger than I am. I can't even make sense of what's going on!"

"There are a lot of things that don't make sense, even in hindsight. Would you stop seeing yourself as a historian if the histories you studied were too confusing?"

That's not even a good comparison. "If I can't make sense of some historical document, then we just don't know about that part of history. If I can't be the hero, people are going to die!"

"If you can't fight, then why pretend you will?" the traitor asks, fixing me with his icy stare. "If your blade isn't guided by a reason, then you don't truly wield it at all."

"What?"

"Any fool can pick up a sword or a bow or a hammer and fight with it. Those with skill have a reason for their skill. They fight to be the best; they fight to protect someone or something; perhaps they fight to destroy. Without that, they're all merely going through the motions. Battle is a nasty thing. Most don't have the stomach for it."

I sigh. "I'm fighting because someone has to fight."

"That reason isn't good enough." His tone is cold, the words blunt. "Are you a historian because someone has to study the past?"

"I'm a historian because I want to know more about Hyrule's past."

He nods. "Everyone thought I was going to make a perfect knight. There were those who claimed I'd end up as one of the princess' personal guard. That, of course, never happened."

"Okay, so what am I supposed to do, then?" I snap. "Dark and the others are convinced that I'm a hero."

"Who are these others? How many have actually called you hero?"

"A lot of people in Northcastle have. I've heard them."

He laughs.

The ocarina-bearer chuckles. "Do they call _you_ a hero, or are they calling the man who pulled that woman out of harm's way a hero? You're missing a distinction, Historian."

"Yeah!" The messy-haired one flops down in front of me. "Anyone can _say_ he's a hero. The real heroes are the ones who say they're normal people, but when something goes bad and people need help, there they are doing everything they can."

"Dark's said that I'm a hero. He's said that since I met him."

"No, he hasn't." It's one of the others again, one with dark brown hair. "You are the hero reborn, yes, but that doesn't make you a hero. Dark isn't foolish enough to make that mistake."

He isn't? No, he _isn't_. He didn't start calling me hero until after the bus incident and the Winter Night attack. I reach up and rub my right shoulder. It doesn't hurt, but the memory nags at me. I keep putting myself in harm's way to keep other people from getting hurt. First the bus, then the Winter Night speech, the Gala, when Vaati appeared at the old graveyard...

That's at least four times. I'm probably forgetting something else.

I shake my head. "I'm not... I can't..."

"Do you deny what you've done?"

"No, I don't."

"Then why are you so convinced you can't do this? You know what to do, and you do it. That's all there is to it."

I shake my head again, faster, and jump to my feet. "I _can't_; I'm not that brave!"

I hear the sound of a sword being drawn. When I look up, the traitor is standing before me, his massive two-handed blade at my throat. The others, too, are all aiming weapons at me - bows, magical rods, hookshots, and some I can't even recognize.

What am I supposed to do? I can't defend myself against even one of them, let alone all of them at once!

"You are well aware of what will happen if you die now, yes?" the traitor says softly.

I nod, careful to not press against his blade.

"Then tell me. What will happen to Hyrule if we strike you down here and now?"

I swallow hard. "The evil threatening Hyrule will probably win."

"And?"

"And Hyrule will - will fall to darkness."

"And the line of heroes will forever be tainted by your cowardice," he snarls.

"One of you is a coward! Dark said so!"

"I am _no_ coward!" one of the others snaps. He's back slightly, aiming his bow at me. He's an archer; the others with bows seem skilled enough, but there's a deadly precision to his draw. "Hyrule knew me as a coward, but I am not. I am the one who brought the Silver Arrows to Hyrule. I am the one who first pierced Ganon's dark magic and allowed the Master Sword to strike him down. I may have left Hyrule for my quest, but I did not flee."

Then why...? It's like the traitor, isn't it? Hyrule knows them as a traitor and a coward, but they still both fought for Hyrule and against Ganon... That's what the Chosen Hero's destiny is, isn't it? To strike down any evil that seeks to destroy Hyrule, to keep Hyrule safe; there's nothing in that fate about glory or reward...

"Why?" I ask softly. "Why do we have to do this? What if I just wanted a normal life?"

"Farore chose us a long time ago. When She deems it time, Her hero is reborn to fight again."

"What if I don't _want_ a destiny?"

The engineer lowers his bow and shakes his head. "None of us wanted a destiny either."

I shake my head again. Half a year ago, I was just a historian. There was absolutely nothing special about me. If I could just go back to that, go back and keep all of this from happening...

...I would've probably died in the museum the night of the Gala. I would be dead. That lady would be at the very least severely hurt. Vael would still be controlled by the rage sealed within that vase. Princess Zelda would probably be dead. Chambers would have the Triforce. The traitor hero's grave would be completely desecrated. And who knows what Chambers would do to Hyrule if he _did_ have the power he wanted...

How many people are alive today because of the chain of events I started by going out to Waypoint? How many lives did I save just by retrieving the Master Sword?

This isn't something I'd considered before. When those cultists attacked the princess on Winter Night, would they have stopped with just her? There were hundreds of people there. A lot of them could've been hurt or even killed. Yes, there were guards there, and Dark and Vael helped fight, too, but...

I close my eyes. This is too much. This is just _too much_.

"You're beginning to understand now." I think it's the ocarina-bearer speaking. "This isn't something you can choose. You have been called. You can either answer it or ignore it, but you cannot consciously make that choice."

"I'm either a hero, or I'm not," I say softly.

"Precisely."

"Then what does it matter if I know the price of failure? The result's inevitable, isn't it?"

The sword at my throat moves, the flat pressing against the side of my neck. "No, it is _not_," the traitor says. "It is inevitable that there will be a battle between those who seek to destroy Hyrule and those who seek to save it, but not even the Goddesses know the result."

But... "The legends say -" The others all start laughing, and I scowl, glancing around at the ones I can see. What's so funny?

"Of course they do. Legends are always written after the fact," the engineer says with a grin.

I search for something, anything I can counter that with. "Hyrule drowned once. It's been lost, but there had to be a legend based on that, too."

"There was," one says from behind me. He sounds fairly young. "A great evil threatened Hyrule, and a boy clad in green appeared and defeated him. Years later, the evil returned, but the hero didn't. All the people could do was pray to the Goddesses and leave it up to fate."

"The Goddesses called up a powerful, seemingly-endless storm." It's the copper-haired one; I recognize his trace of an accent. "They told the peoples of Hyrule to take their belongings and move up into the highest mountains. The rain fell and fell and fell until all of Hyrule was covered by a vast sea, with only the highest mountaintops remaining above water."

"If Hyrule is underwater, then how can this be Hyrule? I know that whoever discovered this land gave it the same name, but shouldn't this land be different from the old one?" How can this line of heroes keep going?

"Our Goddesses followed us to the new Hyrule," the engineer says softly. "There were other spirits in charge of this land once, but... they left this land in our hands."

"The magic is different from the old Hyrule, that much I know," one of the brown-haired ones adds, "but that doesn't make this magic any less powerful. It's _different_, but it's different for everyone. Good and evil all use the same new magic, and the Goddesses aren't bound by the same things people are."

He has a point. Chambers and Ralph and all of the people working with them may be using dark magic, but it's ultimately the same magic I use.

The sword at my neck pulls away. The traitor fixes me with a scrutinizing gaze, and then he raises his blade high. "Despite all of the changes over the centuries, this is the land of Hyrule, and Hyrule is in danger. You cannot stay indecisive forever, historian. Your opponent will take advantage of your hesitation. So tell us: will you fight, or will you flee?"

Why does everyone keep asking me questions I can't answer? "How am I supposed to know? I don't know what's going to happen!"

He swings at me. I take a step back, raising my arms to protect my head without thinking. The blade strikes my gauntlet; the force knocks me down to my knees.

"What was _that_ for?" I snap, lowering my arms so I can glare at him. My right arm is numb from the shock.

"How else can we know how you react to danger?" He gives me a knowing smirk. "I wanted to see how you would react to a sudden attack."

"What would happen if you did kill me right now?" I ask. After all, if this is inside my soul, and part of my soul attacks another part... "Would my body die?"

He seems taken aback by that. "No one knows. We've never tried it."

"Hopefully we never will," one of the others replies. "We don't even know if our line can regain the power of Courage if one of the line loses it."

Several of them start up a conversation. From what I can make out, they're talking about me, but I don't want to know. I sit back on the edge of the dais and just shake my head. I don't see what this is supposed to be getting us. I'm just as confused as I was before. Yes, I've done some heroic things, but that doesn't mean I'll be able to _continue_ doing heroic things. I'm human; humans have limits.

"You know Vaati, don't you?" the messy-haired one sits down next to me, giving me an expectant look.

If Vael is Vaati, then... "Yeah, I do. I've known him for a couple of years now."

"I thought so!" He grins. "I was worried about him. He went home with his master, and then that monster that called itself Vaati showed up, but I didn't see how it could be him. Do you think he's happy?"

"I don't really know." Vael never seems particularly down, but then he doesn't really show his emotion all that much. I've always thought he was just a private person, like I try to be. He doesn't seem to wear his heart on his sleeve like I have a bad habit of doing.

I bet I'm doing it right now, too.

Something bangs in the distance; when I look up, I realize that there are large doors at the other end of the temple, and that they just opened. The sky here is just as eerie and red as the sky back at the canyon. Is that just a coincidence? Or is it because I'm so confused right now?

"Do you want to go take a look?" someone asks.

I can actually leave? "Can I?"

"There is nothing forcing you to stay in this building. If you wish to look, feel free."

It might do me good to get out of here, even if it's just for a few minutes. I walk over to the doors and peer out, looking up at the sky first. If I didn't know better, I'd be convinced this was the exact same sky I just saw at the overlook. It doesn't look like it's going to storm just yet, so I walk outside and take a good look around.

I'm out in the canyon. And not just anywhere out in the canyon, either; this is Stronghold Canyon, one of the many side-canyons and the one my friends and I used to spend so much time riding. I'm right at what we always called our stronghold, a place where the canyon widens out a bit and has a higher piece of land in the middle. We parked our bikes up here and camped and hung out, and over there is the big, flat rock Mido called his garage...

How is this possible? I know for a fact that there aren't _any_ buildings in Stronghold Canyon, let alone something that could be a temple!

"A canyon?" someone says not far behind me. "I can't say I was expecting that."

"You should know by now that there is nothing to expect."

"What is this?" I ask.

"You don't know?"

That isn't what I was asking. "I know where this is, but _how_? There isn't a temple there."

The ocarina-bearer stops just outside of the doors, looking leisurely at the view. "Of course not. This is still your soul. What we are seeing right now is somewhere you consider peaceful and safe."

"Then you mean..."

"Yes. These doors open to different places for each of us."

"Is the sky always red?"

He shakes his head. "No, it isn't."

I was afraid of that. "Then why is it now?"

"This is your soul. You shape it."

"What about all of you?" If they're me, then are they all part of me? Or are we all different parts of a soul none of us really own?

"We each shape it in our own way, yes." He gives me a peaceful, knowing smile, almost as if he thinks I'm missing something. "You are the one who opened the door. In so doing, you called up this memory to bring you comfort."

I opened the door? Maybe I did. I'm just restless, I think. The conversation in the temple makes me feel a little better, but only so much. There are still so many unanswered questions...

The ocarina-bearer kneels and picks up a handful of red dirt. "You've let yourself become too focused on this, Historian," he tosses the dirt into the air and watches it fall before waving an arm at one of the massive canyon walls rising above us, "and it's making you ignore all of this."

I'm focusing too much of the details. Again. "I do that a lot."

"That's a very dangerous habit. You have to stay aware of what is around you, or you will not survive."

"I know." I sigh and look down at the ground. "A lot of people have already died. I couldn't save anyone that night. They died while I ran."

"You saved Princess Zelda. She may only be one, but even one life saved is a triumph."

"I try to tell myself that. It doesn't really help."

He walks over to a large rock and sits down on it. "Do you dwell on every mistake, or merely this one?"

"Only the ones that bother me." I kick a small rock and watch it bounce away. "Am I a part of you, or how does this work?"

"We are one soul, one particular soul Farore chose long ago."

"So, what, we're always born to be a hero?"

He chuckles at that. "That is what we are, yes. No normal person could contain the Triforce, yet time and time again, a Link has borne Courage."

No normal person; something about those words sends a chill down my spine. I don't like what that implies at all. "We're just a tool."

"No, we are not. If we were a mere tool, each of us would appear to fight whatever evil threatens Hyrule, and then we would perish. If we were a mere _tool_, why would we have a personality? Why would there be any need for a different appearance? As I'm certain you noticed, no two of us look alike."

"I - we - Link has died young more than once!" I remember the memories grabbing me weeks ago.

He sighs. "Yes, through specific sets of circumstances. The majority of us lived to be old men."

"Then why don't any of you look like that?"

"We are as we were when we were heroes. Besides, would you be any more likely to believe us if we _did_ appear as we were just before we died? Not all of us died peacefully; you know that. Such a ghoulish display would only terrify you."

He has a point. I decide to voice another question that's been nagging me for weeks.

"You loved Dark, didn't you?"

"Yes, I do."

I nod. "Then how do I know what _my_ feelings for him are?"

He smiles gently. "Right now, we are all separate. You are yourself and yourself alone. How do you see him?"

"I..." I'm not sure, really. I think I love Dark. No, there isn't a _think_ to it. I _do_ love him.

The ocarina-bearer walks over and puts a hand on my shoulder. "He will follow you to the end of the world if you allow him. You know how he feels about you."

"I don't want to be your replacement," I mutter.

"You will only be replacing one of us if you insist on doing so. He knows that you are not I, and that neither of us are any of the others. If he loves you, then he loves you." He smiles gently. "If you are willing to listen to advice, then let me suggest that you stop treating this as if it is something you can decide in a few moments. You don't choose to love someone. In my experience, it's more that at some point you realize that you are in love, and that you have been for a while. You can't even pinpoint the instance when everything changed."

I don't answer. Is that how it is? I do know that despite all of the crazy things that have happened since I met Dark, I'm still glad I met him.

"These are situations where attempting to think things over and make them make sense are nothing more than ways to waste time you may not have and to frustrate yourself, Historian. There are things about myself that still don't make sense, even with the advantage of millennia of hindsight. Will you analyze everything about your life?"

"I don't know." I shake my head. "This all seems so surreal. Even after I found the Master Sword, it didn't hit me just what was going on. But then the museum was attacked and Dark..." I'm not thinking about that; he's here. That's what matters. "Ralph was trying to break into that tomb, and then some other people did, but it's not Ganon's tomb at all. Vael is Vaati, and Chambers is the one behind this, and I've got the Triforce of Courage in my hand... It seems like every day this gets more bizarre. What am I supposed to feel right now?"

He sighs. "I don't believe there is an answer to that. How do you feel?"

"Confused, mostly. I'm just a historian, so why is this all happening to me? I don't care what the reason is. I want to know why. I just... I just want a normal life." I crouch down and hang my head. "Is that selfish of me?"

"I don't think you're being selfish." He doesn't say anything for a few minutes. "What will you do when you leave here?"

"I'm going by the temple in town. I'm going to try and meet Dark." I wonder what he'd think if he knew where I was. Then again... I remember the way he said "take care of yourself" earlier; did he know this could happen?

He nods; apparently he likes that idea. "You should. It might help you. Try not to dwell on everything, Historian. Deal with the problems as they arise, and eventually you will have the time to search for the answers you seek. Just accept that they may never appear."

I know. Not everything has an answer, and the answers aren't always what I want them to be. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

"Do you regret anything you have done thus far?"

There's a lot I wish I could try again with a better plan, but... The only thing I really regret is dropping my argument about the vase, but even that wouldn't have helped much. Not even storage could've kept the vase intact, not with all those Moblins determined to destroy as much as they could.

"No, I don't," I say softly.

"I thought as much." He sounds pleased with himself. "Do you feel more confident now?"

"Not really." I can't lie. "It does help knowing that I'm not the first to deal with any of this."

He nods again. "All you can do is to let yourself be whoever you truly are. If you are a hero, then you will know what to do. You won't need to spend time considering the decisions you face. You will _know_ what path you are meant to take. For now, however, you should be getting back to the waking world."

"Should I?" I don't know if I should leave already or not. There's probably a lot the others can tell me.

The ocarina-bearer leans in close, reaching up to tap the bridge of my nose with one finger. "Wake up, Link. Wake up and face the world."

I wake up on my back in the snow, staring up at a sky covered in thick gray clouds. It didn't take as long for the storm to get here as I thought it would. I'm not sure if I should take that as an omen as well or just chalk it up to winter in Kakariko.

I sit up and brush the snow off as well as I can. How long was I asleep? I'm not sure, and I don't know when I got here, so even my pocketwatch isn't any help. I do know I can't stay out here with that storm getting closer. It could hit any minute now, and I'm on a motorcycle.

My helmet sits on the bench nearby, apparently right where I left it earlier. It's good to know I didn't lose it. I climb to my feet and pick it up, checking to make sure there isn't any snow in it. I really don't want to find that out the hard way.

I look out at the canyon again; the dark clouds make it look imposing and dangerous, and really, it is. In summer, it's flash floods in the lower canyons; in winter, it's cold, strong winds funneled between the canyon walls. I've been lucky enough to never get caught in it, but I've heard of storms that weren't much in the city being full white-outs out here.

There's a storm coming, and I'm so out of the loop lately that I don't know if it's something little or something that I really need to be avoiding. I should probably just assume the worst. After all, that's how everything else is going.

One thing at a time, I tell myself. Just like what all the others said. I don't have to understand the motivations and machinations behind everything; I merely have to decide what my contribution to this madness will be.

I walk out to the parking lot and pull on my helmet. That's all I have to do. If I choose to fight, then I just have to fight. I still wish there was another option, but that's what the legends and the memories always boil down to. In the end, the Chosen Hero and the King of Evil - or whatever other threat is facing Hyrule - face off in single combat.

What is it with Farore and making Her Chosen normal? Wouldn't make so much more sense to pick a warrior? Then again, I think as I climb on my bike, maybe that's the point. A superior warrior doesn't need to be brave. He knows he's the best on the battlefield.

This is probably all deliberate, even my doubt. I sigh, remembering a question I've spent plenty of time thinking about over the years. Power is obvious, and Wisdom isn't that hard to figure out, but what, exactly, makes Courage such a mighty power?

A person can train to become stronger and study to become smarter, but there's no exercise to strengthen resolve. Each of us is either brave or not, and it's not even something we can measure until after the fact.

I start the engine and shake my head. It's so _weird_ thinking about all my old discussions and the various lectures I had to give back when I was applying to the Project. All this time, I haven't just been analyzing history and legend. I've been analyzing myself.

I really need to stop thinking about this. I'm going to head to the temple in town, and hopefully Dark will be there. I don't even care what we talk about, if anything at all. I just want the company.

First, though, I'm going try to get as close to Kakariko City as I can get before the coming storm hits. The temple's a lot better place to ride out a storm than this parking lot is.


	17. Calm Before the Storm

_Author's note: I'd just like to thank everyone for all of the reviews so far. I really appreciate the feedback._

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**Calm Before the Storm**

"Just be careful, all right?" It's the least I can ask for.

"I will; I promise," he says, and then he's gone. I fall back onto the bed and close my eyes. I know he needs the time to get his head together, but _damn it_, I don't like this.

I hate not being able to do anything. If anyone else was making Link feel this way, I could solve the problem myself with a few minutes and my sword, but _Link_ is the one making Link feel like this. To think, just a few days ago, he was convinced that maybe he was the hero I know he is, but now...

I groan. There are times I hate just how damned stubborn Link can be.

For a few minutes, I just lay there and try to ignore my thoughts. It doesn't take long for me to get tired of that and sit up. It's morning, now, so if nothing else, I should be able to go find something for breakfast without getting nagged at for making noise.

I'm not even the first one in the kitchen; Zelda's bodyguard is making himself a cup of coffee. At least it's not Kafei. I don't think he likes me.

"I was under the impression that a shadow didn't need to eat," the big guy said, easing himself into one of the chairs.

"Yeah, well, _I _was under the impression you understood me when I said I was unique," I fire back.

He doesn't answer. I take full advantage of that to get my own coffee started before peering into the fridge. Damn; if I want anything, I'll have to cook it myself. Lovely.

"You could've made him stay," the big guy says finally.

This is why I can't decide if I like Byrne or hate him. He's good and observant, but _damn_, sometimes I want my secrets.

"Not really," I reply. "And don't ask. You weren't in there. You didn't see the look on his face."

"It probably wasn't that different from the one he had when I was talking to him. Where'd he run off to, anyway?"

I sit down and give the big guy a sharp look. Link, run off? _Please_. "He didn't run. Link's about as _un_cowardly as you can get. He just needed to get away for a while."

"Sounds like running off to me," Byrne replies, not looking at me.

I roll my eyes. "Details, details. There's running away like a pathetic coward, and then there's getting away from everything for a while to sort things out. And there's a lot he needs to sort out, too."

"Even so, is this really the best time for him to be running off by himself? You do remember that there were men at that old graveyard of yours yesterday, yes? How do we know that there aren't other people out to cause trouble?"

"So? If we catch them, we'll kill them."

Byrne sighs. "And if they go after Link? I'm well aware how well he can fight in the right situation, but if he's distracted by his thoughts, it's not impossible to think he could get ambushed."

"If they find him," I mutter. "Knowing Link, he's going to find some remote place that no one'll be at and lurk around there until he feels like leaving. Somehow, I really doubt our enemies know where he'll be." At least I hope not. Still, from what I've seen, he doesn't talk about Kakariko much, especially when he was working at the museum, so with a little luck, Chambers is completely in the dark.

Besides, Chambers doesn't even know any of us are out here. No doubt, he's looking for the princess, but it's pretty damned obvious he doesn't know where we are. If he did, he'd be here, and since he's not, well, that proves my point, doesn't it? No doubt, he's plotting yet another evil plan, though if I were him, I'd be laying low for a while.

I'm pretty sure he's not.

Byrne finishes his coffee and sets the empty mug on the table. "Don't do anything to that while I'm gone."

"Where are we running off to, huh?"

He scowls. "I'm going to feed our prisoner."

Oh, right, Ralph. I decide to follow Byrne down there. Ralph's in the basement, in one of the otherwise unused rooms. It's not the best prison I've ever seen, but it works. No windows and exactly one door, perfect for holding someone. Of course, something meant for holding a person isn't necessarily the best for holding a _Moblin_, but Ralph isn't that bad yet, is he?

Byrne shoots me a questioning look when he sees me, but he doesn't say a word. He walks across the room to where Ralph is chained to the wall.

I whistle. "Chains, huh? You must really want him staying put."

Byrne shrugs and sets a bowl of something on the floor where Ralph can reach it. "If he'd cooperate, we wouldn't need the chains."

"What's the matter, piggy boy? Do you not like it here?"

Ralph snorts; one of his hands twitches.

I scowl. "Damned mages are all alike. Moblins can't use magic, remember? You can't do anything to me."

He snorts again and takes a couple of steps towards me, yanking on one chain. The bastard's starting to get the hang of his body; this isn't good. I'm not so sure this room will hold a pissed-off Moblin for long, and here he is figuring out just how strong he is. Yeah, that's a comforting thought. Damn it; that changes things. I'm sure there's some reason he's been kept alive, and it had better be something more than everyone being all bleeding heart about it.

I head back to the kitchen. When I hear footsteps enter the room, I ask, "Why are we even bothering to keep him alive, again?"

"I didn't realize you were so bloodthirsty," Vael replies.

"Really." I don't believe him. "What good is being merciful? You know he's just waiting for his chance to bust loose. I say we just go on and kill him. Besides, who's going to miss him?"

"Yes, really. I remember someone who enjoyed causing mischief and wrecking havoc. I don't remember someone who wanted to kill a prisoner."

"Look, you know as well as I do that it's only a matter of time. I say we kill him while we have the chance."

Vael sighs. "I say we leave it up to the princess and her guard. It's their place to decide what risk they can and can't accept, not ours."

"Oh, right," I snap. "I'm supposed to just sit back and be a good little boy and let the adults handle it."

"Dark... Why are you in such a bad mood today?"

"Link ran off," Byrne replies, sticking his head in the door.

"He did not _run off_!" I snarl, slamming my hands on the table and glaring at him.

Vael runs a hand through his hair and sighs again. "Here, I'll talk to him."

Byrne shrugs. "Suit yourselves. I don't care what you do as long as it doesn't cause problems for the rest of us." He leaves. I bet he's off to tell the princess about Ralph. I hope he is; somebody needs to do something while we still can. Or, well, someone needs to do something before I take my sword down here and do it myself. It was funny at first, but now there's just a couple of rooms and a floor between me and a Moblin. Ralph's a tempting enough target _without_ me wanting to tear something to pieces.

And right now, ripping something to shreds with my sword and my bare hands sounds like a really, _really_ good idea.

"Dark, Link can handle himself."

I glare at Vael. Oh, sure, he's trying to help, but that doesn't change the fact I couldn't go. I know he needs the time to himself, but _damn it_.

"Worrying isn't going to get you anywhere. He can take care of himself; I'm sure he's fine."

"You just don't get it, do you?" I groan and lower my head to the table. I feel him toying with one of the strings to my choker and sigh. "What now?"

"There was a point when you liked the idea of Link getting into trouble."

"No, there wasn't."

Vael stops toying with the strings and starts rubbing my neck. Damn, that feels nice.

"You're trying to confuse me, aren't you?" I mutter.

"I wouldn't say that. I've been doing some thinking, Dark. I'm sure you know how that is." He makes a soft _hmm_ low in his throat. "Link's never quite the same person, is he?"

He's always Link, but he's never the exact same person twice. "No, he isn't."

"Exactly. Everything changes, given time. Even you."

"Yeah, right." I'm the only thing that doesn't change, really.

Vael laughs. "You've never even thought about it, have you? You were my little shadow once."

"Yeah, and you were a giant flying eye once," I mutter.

He curls his fingers, running his nails along my neck. "Are we going to resort to that, now?" He _hmm_s again, tapping two fingers against my neck between the choker's strings. "If I wanted, I could hit you where it hurt, Dark."

"If you wanted, or if you had the guts?"

He sighs heavily. "You're in a bad enough mood without that. You can't keep dwelling on this, Dark."

I scowl. "You're the one who said you've been doing some thinking, not me."

He keeps toying with my choker. "And you're the one who clings so much to the past."

"I do not."

"Then why are you wearing this choker?"

I scowl more. "Because I want to. Do I have to have a reason?"

"Once you swore you would never take it off. Of course, it looked rather different then."

I roll my eyes. "Uh, yeah. I've had to have the thing fixed several times, and that's not counting all the times I've had to replace the strings. Let's see _you_ wear something for several centuries and see how many times it needs fixing."

"I know. It wasn't always a Triforce, remember."

I raise my head off the table so I can glare at him. "Just how do you know that?"

He gives me an odd look, neutral but a little proud. "I gave it to my little shadow as a reward... and as a way to keep track of him. There's an enchantment on that ruby. It may have been recut, and time may have worn away most of the magic, but there's enough left that I recognize my handiwork."

I have to laugh. Things are starting to make sense now. "Then I've been right all along."

"Oh?"

"When I first woke up in the Room of Illusions, Pigman was bragging about how he'd made me. I've never once believed that, and my choker was one of the things I used as proof. It's been so long I almost forgot it entirely. I mean, by now I've got all the proof you could ever want that no evil bastard created me, so it's irrelevant."

Well, except for one little detail. "Does that mean you created me?"

Vael sighs again and closes his eyes. "You don't remember?"

"Not really. Even with a couple of good shocks to my memories, I don't remember much before Pigman got involved."

It takes him a while to answer; what's he got to think about so much, anyway? "I suppose that depends on how you define created. Once, there existed a powerful artifact called the Dark Mirror."

"Yeah, I know. You mentioned that. I bet that's what that glass you stole was, huh?"

"That Mirror called you forth from the realm of shadows." He keeps his voice even. "I was tired of that brat interfering with my plans, so when I found the Dark Mirror, I hung it where I knew he would find it. Before it was broken, it called forth the dark reflections of those who looked into it. So, you see, I am the reason Link ever looked into the Dark Mirror, but the Mirror called you from the realm of shadows, not I.

"You don't remember that, do you?"

"Not really, no. I remember that there were four Links, and that somehow I helped them out, but past that... I know you were my master, once."

"Once, yes." He pats me on the head. "That's why you went for the Triforce last week. I told you to claim it for me."

"I messed that part up." Is Master mad at me? I scowl; no, I'm not some stupid little shadow servant. I'm Dark Link. I reach up and wrap my hand around my choker tight enough to feel the metal biting into my skin. Damn, is this how Link feels when he's slipping back and forth? I knew it was disorienting, but _damn_, I didn't realize it felt like this.

Vael sighs wistfully and lets his hand slide down the back of my head and onto my shoulder. "Actually, I'd say you didn't. I don't want to know what I would've done with it if I had gotten it. Nothing good, I'm sure. Are you all right?"

"No." I'm not even going to lie. It helps Link if I - "Talk."

"What am I supposed to talk about?"

"Talk about now."

"Very well..." He sounds skeptical, but he continues: "The princess and her bodyguards are talking, and you're moping because Link rode off without you. Come to think of it... what's he doing riding his motorcycle in this weather, anyway? There's snow everywhere."

Perfect; that helps. I relax my hand once my head starts clearing. "For one, he has chains. For another, they try to keep most of the roads plowed. And for _another_, you're not going to turn me against him again."

"I'm not going to attack him, Dark. Before, yes, I... I was doing my best to injure him, but that was also while I was under the effect of that spell."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Sure, the spell's gone, but you're still Vaati."

"Yes," he says, fixing me with a piercing look, though gray eyes just don't have the venom red eyes did. "Just as you are still Shadow Link."

I growl. "I'm more like Link than you. Unlike _you_, I actually lived part of the last several centuries."

Vael runs a hand through his hair. "What I am trying to say is that people change. That includes me."

"Fine, fine, fine." I let my head fall to the table again with a thump. Sure, he says he's changed, but can I believe him? He hasn't pulled anything, and really, he could've ignored me when I needed the help, but... Damn it; I'm second-guessing myself. Link does that enough for _both_ of us; I don't need to start.

He starts toying with my choker again.

"Should I get you one of your own?" I ask.

"I wouldn't wear it." His fingers work their way down to my shoulders.

"Tch, first time for everything." This feels really damned nice. I can almost forget the world exists.

"There," Vael says softly. "Perhaps now you won't be in so terrible a mood."

"Can you blame me?"

He chuckles. "Granted, I doubt I can know him the way you do, but considering what I've seen Link do so far, I don't think he'll give up very easily."

I hear that. Not 'I don't think he'll get in trouble' but 'I don't think he'll give up'. "Nice choice of words there. What do you know that I don't?"

"There's a storm coming."

"Tell me something I _don't_ know." Two storms, really. There's the literal storm the sky's warning for and the metaphorical one that I know Chambers is just waiting to unleash. Link picked a great day to run off on his own, didn't he? Hopefully he won't get stuck out in it when the rain starts.

I _hate_ not being able to do anything.

Vael keeps rubbing, working his way down my back.

"You need to teach Link how to do this," I say.

"Would you prefer that?"

"What _is_ it with everyone and needing a _preference_?"

"Did I say that? You're trying to put words in my mouth, Dark. I'm well aware of how you feel about him."

"Are you now?" No, he's just trying to pester me.

He sighs. "When Link is upset, he isn't exactly quiet. I heard you the day before yesterday."

"I bet half the house heard us yelling."

"Perhaps, though I doubt they heard what the two of you were yelling."

"Okay, good for you. You can embarrass Link with something he didn't want anyone to know about." Wait. Last winter, during the storm... "Are you jealous, Vaati?"

"Why would I be jealous?" He sounds like he's trying to keep his voice even, but I can tell I hit a nerve.

"Because I've seen how you two are. Well, maybe I should say how Link and Vael are; I'm not so sure about Vaati."

Vael tightens his grip on my sides. "I remember how you and I used to be, little shadow. Should he be jealous of us?"

I scowl. Damn it, he has a point there. I can't really remember much, but I remember that we weren't just master and servant. "I don't know; should he?"

"He seems taken by you."

"I wish. Besides, he's got more important things to be worrying about. In fact..." I raise my head, "we've _all_ got more important things to worry about than who's in love with who. Hyrule's in danger, but here we are acting like we're on one of those stupid TV shows."

Vael loops two fingers under my choker's strings and tugs my head higher, leaning in to meet me. "That isn't the issue, Dark. We all know who cares for each other. It's more that no one seems very willing to admit it." He lets go. "You are right about there being more important things, though... If Link can take a day to get his head in order, then why can't we?"

I glare at him. "I don't need to get my head in order."

"You don't? So there isn't a single thing that has you confused? You're quite lucky, then."

I shrug. "No. I'm not confused. I'm waiting, and I'm getting damned bored doing it. There _is_ a difference, y'know." And I am waiting. I'm waiting for Link to make up his mind about being a hero and about us. Then I'll just react accordingly. "What did you mean earlier when you said there's a storm coming?"

Vael sighs. "It's going to be a rough afternoon. Haven't you looked out the window? For another, there's an odd ripple in Hyrule's magic. I've never felt such a thing before, and I don't have the slightest clue what it might mean. To be honest, it worries me."

"Could be Chambers. He's no doubt trying to gather power - let's not forget he went after the Triforce."

"That he did. We'll have to be careful when he go after him; I have the feeling he intends to keep everything he can safely under his control."

"Yeah, Pigman has always been good at that. I'm used to it. All we've got to do is find or make a hole in his defenses and get inside. We have something he doesn't have, and as far as I know, it's something he can't even defend against. We've got a hero with the Master Sword."

"Is that really enough? Even a hero can be killed by traps or ambushes."

"You think I don't know that?" I snap, standing up. "That's why I'm going in with him when the time comes; I'll watch his back."

He doesn't answer. Good; maybe he should remember that Link's not alone in this. I walk over to the refridgerator and peer inside. Maybe I _will _cook something; it's something to _do_.

"You're a lot more human than I remember you being, little shadow," Vael says softly.

"I'm still just a shadow." I'll go with some eggs. They're not that hard to cook.

"Shadows don't eat human food."

I grab a pan and point it at his head. "No, they don't. But just because they _don't_ doesn't mean they _can't_."

He _hmm_s at that. "So is this just because you can?"

"_This_ is because I'm hungry."

"I thought that shadows fed -"

"Does it matter what other shadows do? Sure, I could do that if I wanted to. It just so happens that I can _also_ eat perfectly normal human food. No, it's not quite the same, but I don't give a damn. I like eating like a person." I start cracking eggs into the pan so I don't have to look at him. I'm sure Vael is thinking hard about this.

Wait. That wasn't Vael's voice.

I glance over my shoulder. Oh, wonderful. Zelda stands in the doorway, giving me one of those annoying sizing-me-up looks. I could try to stare her down, but right now, I've got more important things to do. Like fix my breakfast.

"I guess I should ask if either of you want some, too, shouldn't I?"

"If you're offering, then yes, I would like some." She sounds a little leery.

Vael sighs. "I'd like some, too."

"All right, then." I focus on doing that. I can hear them talking softly, but I don't think I care what they're talking about right now. Maybe me, maybe Link... either way, it's something I'm trying to avoid.

"Ah, there you are, Princess. I've made the arrangements; they will be here this afternoon as long as the weather cooperates," I hear Byrne say, and then he laughs. "Need a hand with that, shadow boy?"

I turn enough to eye the room; oh, lovely, Kafei followed Byrne in."Considering every time I look, there are more people in here, I think I will."

Byrne laughs again and comes over to help.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. The shadow's cooking." I feel like I'm being scrutinized again.

"I must admit I didn't expect to see such," Zelda says.

"Don't get too used to it; I'm a warrior, not a chef," I reply.

"Should we get a taster in here to make sure you're not about to poison the princess?" Byrne asks; he's joking.

I glance over at him and grin. "You might want to. I mean, I know the hero can take it, but I'm not so sure about princesses."

"I'll have you know that I am more than capable of protecting myself -"

"Which is why you've got two bodyguards," I finish. I think this is almost done.

"Byrne's only here because of your friend and our prisoner. If not for either of those, I would be enough."

I turn towards Kafei at that. "Cocky, aren't we? Look, pride is one thing. Pure arrogance is something else."

Kafei glares at me. "I've been in training since I could walk."

"Good for you. Is that years of training, or one year repeated twenty or so times?" I'm not impressed. Him and how many others? "I've been fighting for _lifetimes_. I've singlehandedly killed things that would have you scream and run. Link's seen even worse, though he's probably forgotten them. Then again, it's just as well that he _can't_ remember his past lives very well, because if he did, he'd be the single greatest warrior this land or any _other_ land named Hyrule has ever even dreamed of seeing. You think I'm kidding, but just you wait. He'll be mighty enough with just the power he'll find this time."

Byrne whistles in appreciation before reaching over and grabbing the pan I'd been watching. "I've got this."

I nod in thanks and turn towards the others.

Zelda gives me an odd look, more like I've said something funny than anything else. "Any other land named Hyrule? Does that mean there's another?"

"Well, there was. I'm not sure if you can call something on the sea floor a land anymore. It was the first Hyrule, and then the Goddesses drowned it. The Hero of Winds and Princess Tetra set sail and found a new land - this one - and named it Hyrule in honor of the drowned kingdom." Of course, that's a massive oversimplification, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and explain the flood, the final drowning of the old Hyrule, and the battle with Malladus for the new Hyrule to them. It's not _my_ fault no one in Hyrule knows their own damned history.

"Is that true?" Kafei asks.

I roll my eyes. "No, I'm lying. Of course it's true. I saw it all with my own eyes."

"He's lying."

Zelda holds up a hand. "Kafei, stop. There is much more to Hyrule's history than is commonly taught. There are few who are allowed to know the full history of our land, and for good reason. He is telling the truth."

The room goes quiet again. This time, the silence is broken by a 'phone ringing. Kafei growls. "That's probably Impaz; I'll handle it."

"Impaz?" Vael asks, finally speaking.

"Yeah. Impaz is the real head of the princess' guard," Byrne says. "She and Anjean handle everything behind-the-scenes, as it were. We called them a while ago. You were in the basement; you noticed. We can't risk keeping that Moblin here any longer. We don't have the facilities to hold him, and if he gets loose, he'll probably go straight for the princess. With any luck, Impaz is sending some people to drag him somewhere sturdier."

I can't say I disagree with this plan. I'd rather walk down there and slam my sword through his face, but still, this isn't a bad plan.

"Besides," he adds, "you know we're not getting anything out of him. Even if Vael turns him back into a human, he'll either attack or teleport away and tell his master about this place. We don't have anywhere to go if this place stops being safe."

"You don't have any other safehouses?" Vael sounds incredulous.

"There are many scattered all across Hyrule, yet they are all useless. As Royal Historian, Chambers knows about all of them. The only reason he doesn't know of this one is that not even my father knows of it. Only those who answer directly to me are aware of this house." Zelda sighs heavily, looking down at the table. "I am hoping Impaz will bring news of Northcastle with her."

Okay, so this is the only safehouse Chambers doesn't know about. Big deal; who says we need a safehouse, anyway? Nothing says we have to hide in a _safehouse_. I pick a chair and flop into it. "Tch, you make it sound like the sky's going to come crashing down on our heads. If Chambers has any sense, he'll lay low until he's ready to make his move."

Vael shakes his head. "He went after the Triforce, Dark. He has made one move for power, and he'll make others. That reminds me... Does anyone have an idea where the Triforce _went_? I know Link has Courage, but what of the others?"

Zelda holds her hand up; the Triforce of Wisdom glows on the back of her hand for a moment. "Wisdom is right here."

"The last person I knew of who held Power was Pigman..." Okay, if he's dead, it can't go to him, so... _shit_. I manage to keep the scowl I feel off my face. "When the Triforce splits, it goes to the people who best uphold each particular power. The Chosen Hero gets Courage, etc. Then logically, the Triforce of Power should go to the most powerful or maybe most power-hungry person in Hyrule."

Yeah, that's great. That's just _great_. Pigman being dead actually makes this _more complicated_.

"I can't say who's the most powerful, but..." Byrne forces a nervous chuckle. "I think Chambers might qualify for most power-hungry."

"Wisdom and Courage have beaten Power before," I say. "More than once. If we have to do it again, we will."

"We'll worry about that when we need to worry about it," Byrne replies. "In the meantime, food's ready."

"Anjean is supposed to be bringing a team and a truck in a couple of hours. She's going to call once she gets to Kakariko. Hopefully the storm won't hit before she can get up here. At the very least, if her team can just get up here, I'd feel safer leaving the Moblin here. We'd have backup if he breaks free."

"Just out of curiosity, what'd you tell them about Vael and shadow boy?"

Kafei growls. "They know that there are others assisting the princess, per her order."

Joy, details I don't care about. At least I'm "assisting the princess"; I could think of worse excuses for us being here.

Right now, though, I've got to get out of this damned house. It's the same loop over and over; we're _behind_, and we can't even catch up, and really all we can do is gather our strength and pray Chambers makes a mistake somewhere. If nothing else, we'll find his lair, or he'll call us out; either way.

I pull on another sweater and then my jacket, zipping it up as high as it'll go. As least it's good and thick.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kafei sounds irritated.

"I'm going to the temple in Kakariko; I'll be back in a couple of hours." I don't even bother looking at him; instead I work Link's goggles in place. This is going to be kind of cold.

He scoffs. "Who says you can leave?"

"Look, you've got the one situation we can do something about - the Moblin - well under control. If there's something that you absolutely _have_ to have me do today, then bring it. If not, I'm going to the temple." I turn to the two bodyguards and cross my arms. "So, what's it going to be?"

Byrne gives me a wry little smile. "Let him go, Kafei."

Kafei just glares. "Fine. I don't like him being near the princess anyway."

"Well, then," I say, rocking my weight to the side, "it seems the feeling's mutual. Don't worry; I'll be out of your hair all day long, Mr. Important Bodyguard."

And then I head towards the door without looking back. Screw him; I don't care what some idiot "bodyguard" thinks of me.

Zelda meets me at the door. "A moment, please."

"I'm going, okay?"

She shakes her head. "I will not try to stop you; it might do you good to take your mind off of things for a while. I merely have a couple of requests for you."

Huh. And here I was expecting her to protest. "What do you need?"

"One request is a question. If other people were in danger, people who were not Link or myself, would you help them?"

Whoa, what's this about? "I'm assuming you mean innocent people? I'd help them if I could."

She smiles at that, but it's forced. "I was hoping you would say that. As for my other request, please, be careful. Take care of yourself and Link, and bring him back safe no matter what happens."

"Of course I will. What do you know that I don't?" I can tell she's hiding something.

"I..." She lowers her head. "I cannot say, exactly."

I think I know where this is going. "You had a dream, didn't you?" The Princess of Wisdom always has a gift for that, and even if this Zelda didn't before, now she bears Wisdom...

Zelda looks up at me, staring into my eyes like she's trying to read me. I think she might be expecting me to mock her for it, but no, if there's one thing I _won't_ mock someone about, it's a dream that seems too real.

"I'm going to assume it was a pretty bad dream, huh?"

She nods slowly. "I was unable to make out most of the details, but I saw a man in blood-stained robes and a massive armored _thing_ standing before an altar. I'm not even certain whether or not what I am seeing has any connection to what you or Link may do today. I'm not even entirely certain it means anything at all, yet..."

Yet we're going to meet at the temple in town. We're going to be somewhere with an altar. At least now I know why she seems so worried. That doesn't exactly thrill me. I don't mind the thought of a battle, but if this happens, I won't be the only one fighting.

I force myself to nod. "Don't worry, Princess. Anyone who wants to kill Link has to get through me first."

"Thank you." She looks relieved, but only a little. "If there is anything I can do -"

"Stay here, and stay safe. From what you were saying, you need to talk to Impaz, right? You two can hopefully piece together what's going on. I didn't say this in front of your bodyguards, but I'll tell you: don't feel like this house is a last resort. If we need to find somewhere else to hide, we _will_. Hyrule is _full_ of places to hide if you just know where to look. Do what you need to do, and try not to worry about us. I'll take care of Link."

"Very well."

I nod at her. "Link and I can handle ourselves. Just wait; we'll be back."

She nods weakly. "Then I wish you a safe journey, Dark Link."

I go back to the room Link and I have been staying in and grab the Master Sword and my shield. I should've made Link take his sword with him; I _should've_. I strap both across my back as I walk back to the door, not caring how obvious I'll be with the Mirror Shield in plain view. If there's a chance I'll be walking into a fight, well, I'm going as prepared as I can be.

The road's not too bad, especially once it meets the main road through the canyon, so it isn't long before I'm well on my way to town. The clouds look a lot more ominous now than they did earlier; I don't like it. They're dark enough that it doesn't look like mid-morning. Yeah, that's really comforting. I want to hope that the only storm I have to deal with is the literal one, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that.

I know trouble's starting. And when it starts, it tends to not stop until it's all over, which isn't good. Once things start escalating, that's when the world needs its hero.

I need to know if Link can do this. _Damn it_. We're running out of time. The storm's practically _here_, and everyone but me is still trying to get their heads straight. I growl. It's funny; I don't even feel the cold.

Link, I don't know what you're up to or even where you are right now, but I just hope that by the time you get to the temple, you've figured something out. At this point, I don't think I even care what you decide to do, just that you decide. We don't have time for you to try to make the world make sense any more.

Because we're almost to the point where it _stops_ making sense. From here on out, we're at the point where those who can't handle it _die_, and I don't want to watch Link die again.

I growl again, louder, not that I can hear myself over the engine. I am _not_ going to get myself lost in a bunch of damned memories now. I am going to drive to town and get to that temple and meet up with Link, and we'll go from there. If Zelda's right to worry, well, we'll just fight whatever monster might show its ugly face.

It isn't long before I reach town and the traffic lights. I ease to a stop at a red light just as a bolt of lightning fingers across the clouds ahead of me, blue-white and purple-white against gray so dark it's almost black. The thunder is close and loud; my bike's engine can't drown it out.

I glare up at the clouds. Bring it on, storm. I can take you.

Then the light finally turns green, and I speed off towards the temple. Overhead, another bolt of lightning races across the clouds.

I'm ready for whatever it throws at me.


	18. Mercykeen

**Mercykeen**

I'm lucky; the wind doesn't start picking up until I pull into the parking lot at the Temple of the Three. Despite that, though, I don't really feel relieved. All the way here, I've had this feeling that something is wrong. If it wasn't a sign that I was going to have trouble on the way here, then what is it?

Maybe I'm still worrying too much. There's no reason to say that this feeling is anything more than just me being paranoid. I try to ignore the part of my mind that reminds me about how my intuition tends to be right about this sort of thing.

I pause at the entrance to kick as much of the snow off of my boots as I can before going inside. The sanctuary is quiet and mostly empty, but I expected both of those. The temple tends to be like this unless there's some kind of observance.

The stained glass windows are poorly lit because of the clouds outside; it makes them look faded and distorted and off. The entire massive room seems a little too dark, as well, but that I can blame on the clouds and the tendrils of smoke from the censers and on the fact that the Temple is illuminated only by candles and lanterns instead of more modern lights. It makes it a little harder to see, but I can't deny that it has quite the effect.

I walk about halfway to the altar and then find a seat on one of the many benches. Now that I'm here, I'm not entirely sure what I should do. Should I just wait for Dark? Should I pray? Should I light a candle for an offering?

For a while, I just stare up at the statues behind the altar. I know what the statues are of, of course; I don't think there's anyone in all of Hyrule who can't recognize the Three.

That said, this place feels... almost foreign now. It's peaceful, yes, but it's empty. I don't just mean that in the "devoid of contents" sense, because there are lots of benches and statues. There's nothing here, no real energy or anything like that. The temple I was in earlier, during that weird dream I had... It felt _alive_. There was _something_ there, something powerful and breathing and the very air was filled with its energy.

A temple to the Goddesses should feel more alive, shouldn't it? Is it the place, is it me, or is it something else?

I shake my head and stand up, walking towards the altar. Maybe it _is_ just me. After talking with all of the heroes that came before, after being surrounded by so much age, this place feels too new, too sterile. The statues feel older, somehow. Now that I'm closer I can sense that; it's jarring compared to the rest of the building.

That shouldn't surprise me. Nothing in Hyrule is permanent, really. Even in times of peace, buildings grow old and are demolished and rebuilt. Maybe the old temple got too old, or maybe it got too small; there are myriad reasons to move to a new structure. The statues, however, are still intact. Of course they'd be moved to the new structure with everything else.

I really wish I could get my mind to stop analyzing everything. I should be praying or waiting for Dark, not sitting here trying to work out the history of a building!

"Farore," I sigh, looking up at Farore's statue. This isn't fair. Why am I the one who has to do this? Why do I have to have the fate of Hyrule in my hands?

_"The only question remaining is what you will do now."_

I hang my head and close my eyes. That's really been the question the whole time, hasn't it? From believing Dark when he first said he was a shadow to going to the Great Palace to waking up the Master Sword to fighting Vaati to now... So much has always hinged on my decisions. At any one point in the long chain of events that makes up the last few months, I could've changed something.

"Are you all right, young man?" It's a priest, his face calm.

I can't very well tell him what's on my mind, so instead I force a smile and a weak nod. "I'm all right. I just needed a quiet place to think things over a bit."

He returns the smile, though his looks more real than my own. "If you do need anything, please, just let me know. I'll do what I can for you."

"Thank you."

I watch as he walks over to speak with one of the other visitors. I'm sure Dark would have something sarcastic or half-cold to say about him, but I've always thought there was just something comforting about priests, as if they've seen something no one else could but want to share it nonetheless.

They're not really much different from me. I reach up and rub the back of my left hand; I still can't shake the feeling that something's just _wrong_. I try not to focus on it and instead find a place to sit down again. There isn't really much to do but sit and wait for Dark. I just want to take it easy after what happened earlier.

I let my gaze drift down the statues to the altar. The altar proper is bare except for three large golden lamps burning colored oil resting on a snow-white cloth. In front of the altar, closest to me, lies a long, narrow basin full of local soil; here and there the soil holds small burning candles or sticks of sweet-smelling incense - cinnamon, sandalwood, pine, and others I can't discern - that others have placed here as offerings.

And I don't know why, but I remember all the times Shad and I came in here late at night or before the sunrise to offer prayers and ask for guidance or maybe just a little extra help. So much has changed, and yet here I am, in front of the exact same altar, again looking for guidance. Some things, I suppose, never really change.

I still can't decide what to do, so I sit there and watch an older couple approach the altar and light incense. It's tempting to drum my fingers on my helmet, but I don't want to distract anyone, and besides, the acoustics in here would probably make it sound a lot louder than it is.

When Dark gets here, we should go somewhere to get lunch. I'm getting hungry.

I'm starting to get a little warm, too. I glance down at my gauntlet; maybe I should've put it on _under _my jacket. I'm not uncomfortable enough to bother taking the gauntlet off just yet. It's a little funny that no one seems to be reacting to the thing. Then again, I haven't exactly been watching everyone I pass, so I've probably been getting odd looks the whole time. All things considered, I don't think it's that odd. I mean, the guards wear at least partial armor, so someone with a gauntlet isn't that unusual.

Though I will admit that someone wearing _one_ gauntlet is a bit odd. Of course, everything about me anymore is one odd thing after another, and it's not like I have a second one to wear with this. I trace the outline of the blade engraved along the gauntlet and scowl. I still wish I knew why the sword disappeared like that. Not only that, but there's something about the sword itself that's nagging me.

Ever since I saw the traitor - the knight, the white-haired me; Farore, I'm not sure what I should call him - it's been in the back of my mind, slowly getting stronger. This isn't just a normal sword, and I don't mean the circumstances of its forging. It's more than just a normal sword.

I'm forgetting something, one simple detail, and for whatever reason, it's really beginning to bug me.

I shake my head. I'll just have to ask Dark; maybe he knows, or maybe he can at least jog my memory.

"Good day to you, young man." It's a priestess this time, a bit older than the priest, though she's no less calm and friendly. "What brings you here, if I may ask?"

"I just need to think a few things over," I reply. It's true, of course. I could just say I'm waiting for Dark, but it must be pretty obvious that I'm still confused if two priests have come over to me. "It's been a rough few days."

She nods. "If there is anything you need, you merely have to ask. May Nayru help ease your thoughts."

"Thank you." It isn't until she walks away to speak to someone else that I wonder if the Triforce has anything to do with the priests coming to speak with me. Considering these are priests, it's not that much of a stretch to think they might be able to sense it, even if they don't realize what it is. No, that doesn't make any sense. If anything, the Triforce should be making me seem _more_ confident, not _less_. It's Courage, after all.

I'm not very good at this kind of thing. I sigh again and tap the gauntlet with my other hand. When is Dark going to get here? That weird feeling I have isn't getting any weaker.

No, I'm not thinking about this anymore, I decide. I'm just going to sit here and watch the candles flicker until Dark gets here.

I actually manage to do just that. I can still hear people coming and going, some talking with the priests, others praying aloud. Now and then someone approaches the altar to add a candle or new stick of incense, or just to speak with the goddesses.

I get pulled out of my daze by a clanking sound. It isn't very loud, just loud enough for me to hear it, really, but it's strange. Is there a guard stopping by for a quick prayer?

A very large, very tall man approaches the altar. At least, I think he's a man. Whoever or whatever he is, he's taller than anyone I've ever seen, including Byrne and the monster of a man that is Professor Garrimed. He wears a long, black coat that falls to his ankles, with a hood pulled up over his head. He stands before the altar and just stares up at the statues, completely unmoving.

After a moment, he turns his back to the altar, apparently looking at each person in the temple in turn. Between his hood and the shadows it casts, I can't see his face at all.

This doesn't seem right.

He finally turns to look at me, but he doesn't look away. He stands perfectly still, his gaze seemingly locked right on me.

I stare back, trying to ignore the way my skin crawls from the scrutiny. What's so fascinating about me?

"Sir, is there something I can help you with?" the priest I spoke to earlier asks as he approaches the man.

At that same moment, I realize that the massive figure _isn't breathing_.

"Get back!" I yell, jumping to my feet. What is this thing, and why is it here?

The priest turns towards me; behind him, I see the black-clad figure start to move - and I move, as well. I need to get that man out of the way!

The priest screams, more from shock than anything. The figure has a massive axe - I don't know where it was keeping _that_ - but somehow, I manage to get the man out of the way.

The figure hisses something in older Hylian and casts off the coat. It looks like the flail-wielding, armored thing I fought in the Great Palace; what's going on here? Everyone's screaming now; I hear them running. Even the priest is gone from behind me, though I don't dare turn around to see how far he's gone.

"The doors won't open!"

_What?_

The thing laughs horribly before rasping something, something that I understand this time. "Die, Hero, along with all you cannot save."

I grit my teeth. This is what I get for not bringing the Master Sword with me! "I'm not letting you hurt them!" No, I need to stay calm; I need to _focus_. I've defeated one of these things before with just simple magic. I just need to find an opening and take it.

It's hard to stay calm listening to the people behind me panicking, though. They're yelling about the doors and begging for help and whimpering things I can't make out. They don't stand a chance against this thing.

The massive thing starts walking towards me, its stride slow but purposeful, its heavy armor clanging with every step. The screams and the clangs echo off the walls, making the room feel small and claustrophobic. Even ignoring the people, there are benches everywhere in here; there's more than enough room to walk, but I don't need to _walk_. I need room to dance around and dodge that axe, room I just don't have.

I need a spell. The thunder spell comes to mind, but no, I can't use that - if I did, I'd hit everyone in here! I need something I can _use_.

And all the while, the axe-wielding thing comes slowly closer and closer. I take a few steps back to buy a little more time, but I can't back up forever. I'm going to have to dodge soon enough. I don't think I can block a swing from an axe that massive without breaking a bone.

A spell comes to mind, one involving a ring of fire. I'd prefer the power of thunder, but fire - I risk a quick glance over my shoulder, yes, I should have room to pull that off - flame is better than nothing.

The figure doesn't change its speed as I raise my arms, scream the proper words, and slam one hand down against the cool stone floor. Flame bursts around me -

- and something slams into my shoulder hard, forcing me down onto the now-scorched floor.

The thing laughs. "Is that the best you can do, Hero? _Hmph_. You're barely worth killing."

I roll sideways to open some space between us; as I do, I feel a rush of air and hear the mighty _clang_ of steel on stone. I'm just lucky that first swing wasn't with the edge!

What do I do _now_? The flames haven't even _singed_ it!

It pulls its axe free of the stone floor and stands again, looking at me and then at the people huddled by the door. No, not them, me! Come after _me_!

The light glints off my gauntlet as I push myself off the floor. A gauntlet. What am I supposed to do with a _gauntlet_? I glare at the sword engraving for a moment, but only a moment. If only I had that sword! It's longer and thinner and balanced differently from the Master Sword, but it's still a sword. It's something I could use to defend these people!

The thing takes a step towards the people at the door and then stops, turning its helmeted head towards me. Then it takes another step towards them. It's taunting me, now.

I need a weapon. I need _something_ - if it can shrug off the flames, my spark's useless, and I still can't risk the thunder, even if it might be strong enough to hurt that thing.

It takes another step, then another. I'm running out of time.

I shoot a desperate look towards the altar. Please, Farore, don't let those people get hurt. I just need a weapon! I need a sword.

I look down at the engraving on my gauntlet again and then slam my fist against a nearby bench. I need my sword!

xXx

"Mercy! Please, have mercy!" the man begs, staring up at the throne.

Unfortunately for him, Ganon does not do _mercy_. If the man's here, he's already dead and just doesn't realize it. I'm only thankful that my scowl of disgust is easily misread by everyone else in the room as being aimed at the begging man, not the monster on the throne.

"_Enough_!" Ganon finally roars. "I've heard enough. Kill him."

"No, please! Don't kill me!"

Several of the guards step forward as one, but I step forward as well. "I'll handle this."

"Sir!"

Ganon looks amused at that. "By all means, my black knight."

I ignore the jealous glares some of the others aim my way - I'm not doing this to gain favor - and slide my blade free of its sheath. The man has stopped begging; now he's sitting on his knees, eyes closed, his lips moving in a silent prayer.

I take a moment to get positioned properly. The guards and even a couple of the other generals are mocking the man, telling him to stop praying because his goddesses can't hear him.

I take one last breath, and then I strike, putting my weight behind my blade. The blade sinks deep into the man's body, and he falls over without a sound. Death in a single, quick strike; the closest thing to mercy I can give those brought here.

It isn't much, but a quick death is better than the deaths the rest of this room had in mind for him. I find a rag and wipe the blood from my blade.

Ganon laughs as he rises to his feet. "Guards, dispose of this trash. Generals, ensure that this assault the fools have planned fails."

"Damn showoff," I hear someone say once Ganon has left.

I finish cleaning my blade and sheathe it. "You're only saying that because you need three strokes for every one of mine."

"You're the one who relies too much on a specific blade."

I narrow my eyes at the guard speaking to me. He's one of Ganon's honor guard, but I don't care. "You couldn't so much as _carry_ my blade without cutting yourself."

"What?" he sputters.

I turn away, intending to leave.

"What's it called, then?" he demands.

"What's what called?" I call over my shoulder.

"Your sword. Everyone who has a specific weapon has it named. What's yours called?"

I give him a cold smirk before walking away. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

xXx

I remember.

The thing takes another booming step towards the people at the door - the priests are at the front of the group, defiant even as they're praying for mercy.

I take a step towards it, slamming my gauntlet-clad hand against the bench again. "I'm the one you're after."

It turns and scrutinizes me. "You're barely worth killing."

I put my left hand on my gauntlet, over the engraving of the sword. "But am I worth fighting?"

I remember why, when I was Ganon's black knight, I kept my sword as sharp as possible. It needed the keenest edge a sword could have. An edge as keen as my skill. An edge keen enough to kill with a single strike. An edge keen enough to be merciful.

The thing turns towards me and raises its axe, laughing coldly. "Your magic is worthless, _Hero_. You can't fight."

I can feel something, something close, something magical yet mundane, ancient yet new, fairies dancing around a piece of shadow. I reach out with my magic and grab it. "I don't need magic to fight you."

"Very well, then; have at you!" the thing roars, charging. "You will die here!"

I pull at that _something_ as hard as I can. "Mercykeen, come to my hand!"

There's a burst of magic and a flash of dazzling light that fades into fairy dust, and I have my hand around the hilt of a sword. The thing roars, as if in pain. I can hear it take a few steps, though from the sound, it's not really moving. Good; I lucked into a distraction.

There's still the issue of that axe; I can't block it, even with this sword, but I can't keep my distance or I'll never be able to attack. Then again, where do I even attack? There's got to be a gap, right? Some kind of weakness I can try to exploit...

My vision finally clears enough to see the thing; it's standing just out of reach of me, holding its axe up in front of it as a makeshift shield. And the thought occurs to me that I don't know whether or not I can hurt it with a sword.

I growl softly and spring forward, lashing out with my blade. Steel meets steel with a clang and a few sparks, but the armor doesn't feel entirely _solid_. There's too much give; it should resist a blow more, shouldn't it?

Why am I even noticing this kind of thing? I back away, sword raised to block, and shake my head. Someone's thinking along with me again.

The armored figure snarls and turns towards me, raising its axe and starting towards me. I think I hurt it, but I don't really know. Damn it; I was too distracted to notice if it reacted to the blow or not. I can't keep doing this. I need to know if this sword is any use!

I hold my ground as it walks closer, as it raises its axe... and then I duck and leap sideways and attack again. This time I hear it hiss in pain, and something crackles softly in the air. Some kind of magic?

It recovers quickly enough, and while I can dodge the axe, I can't really dodge the pieces of broken wood that fly into the air when the axe slams into the bench beside me. I throw my arms up to try to shield my face; the jagged wood tears at my skin, and the dust makes my eyes sting and my lungs burn.

Something slams hard into my stomach, knocking what little air I had managed to breathe out of my chest, and hurls me into the air. I crash into something and tumble over it onto the stone floor. I'm not sure which impact hurts more; I'm too busy trying to breathe.

Everything hurts, but my stomach hurts most. It feels like it's on fire. Pain or no, I can't just lay here. I have to get up.

"No! Don't move; you're injured."

I manage to force my eyes open enough to make out the priest from earlier kneeling beside me. Even that's enough to make the world start spinning. My heart pounds in my ears; it seems too loud.

"I have to..." Injuries can wait. The people in here with me and that _thing_ can't.

"You're bleeding! Stay still!"

Somewhere across the room, I hear a loud, cold laugh, followed by slow, clanging footsteps. I'm not sure where it's heading now, but I do know what it plans to do when it gets there. "I have to get up!"

"Stay still! You'll only make it worse!"

I ignore his attempts to stop the bleeding. I don't have time for this! Instead I thrust Mercykeen against the stone, using the massive blade as leverage to try and climb to my feet. It doesn't work; as soon as I raise my weight, my balance shifts, and Mercykeen's tip grinds across the stone and out from under me. No, I have to stand! I thrust the sword against the floor again and grit my teeth for another try.

The priest wraps his arms around me, pulling my body up as he climbs to his feet. With most of my weight on him and on Mercykeen, I manage to get my feet under me and find my balance. I don't know if I'll be able to walk, but I can at least stand.

The thing is walking this way. It wants to finish me off first, doesn't it? Very well; it can try.

"Go," I tell the priest.

The priest looks at the thing and pales. "Only if you come with me."

That isn't an option. I can't move very fast, and at least if I'm standing and not letting someone pull me along, I can try to defend us. "No. You go; I'll distract it. Break a window if you have to - just get them out of here!"

He looks at me, then at the thing, and then back at me. He's terrified, but for some reason, when his eyes meet mine again, he gets this strange calm on his face. It's a familiar look for a priest, but... did he just see something I didn't?

"Very well. Farore guide you." And he ducks under a bench and out of sight.

I don't dare look away from the armored thing to make sure he's really going. I stare at the figure, determined to stay defiant. I'm _not_ going to let it think it's won, even if I'm bleeding, even if I can barely stand, even if I'm not sure how I'm going to get out of this. Too much of what's keeping me on my feet is Mercykeen; if I can use the blade to fight at all, it'll be for one blow and one blow alone.

And, more importantly, whether I try to attack or not, I can't dodge.

The thing rasps something, but I can't make it out this time. It's probably trying to taunt me. I shift my weight a little, putting more of it on the sword - my head's fuzzy.

Glass breaks not far away; good, they're trying to escape. The thing turns its head towards the sound and rasps something else, and I decide that I've got an opening to attack that I'm not going to let go to waste. I grit my teeth and do my best to hold myself steady, raising Mercykeen up to strike.

Then I leap forward, shoving forward with all the strength I have left and praying that my blade strikes true.

The blade hits something, sinking deep. But I'm in motion, and I can't catch myself. Mercykeen's hilt slides from my fingers as I continue onward, falling to the floor.

I don't even have the strength to roll over. All I can do is wrap one arm around my stomach; my jacket and shirt are warm and wet and sticky.

Worst of all, I hear the armored thing moving.

All I can do is lay there and listen as footsteps - lighter footsteps, like a person - rush towards the clanging, followed by steel on steel and an unearthly roar, and then there's a massive ringing clunk that echoes off the walls. And then nothing.

I close my eyes. I wish I was numb right now; everything aches.

"Link!"

Should I know that voice? I can't place it right now.

Someone rolls me over; it's the priest again. There's someone with him, though, someone in dark clothing. I think it might be Dark, but my head's too fuzzy to tell for certain. One of them lifts my clothes away from my stomach, and then something cold and wet and soft presses against my skin. I'm not sure which one hurts more.

I just lay there and focus on breathing; even _that_ hurts. At some point, I get picked up, but I'm not sure where I'm being taken. My eyes are closed, though I don't remember closing them, and the motion makes the pain in my stomach run up my spine. All I can really do is hope that whoever's carrying me is a friend.

xXx

By the time I wake up, my stomach aches dully and my limbs and chest are sore. I look around at the room; this doesn't look like a hospital, and it doesn't look like a temple either. Where am I this time? This place looks like a house...

"You shouldn't try to sit up yet." The voice sounds like Byrne's. Weird; shouldn't he be at the safehouse?

"Where am I?" I ask.

He chuckles; it _is_ Byrne. "You're back at the safehouse."

"The safehouse?" Why here? I crane my head around for a better look. This is the room Dark and I have been sharing, looking just like I left it. The Master Sword hangs in its sheath from one side of the headboard; Mercykeen sits propped up against the other side. "Why am I here?"

Byrne shrugs. "Wasn't my idea. They probably decided it's not safe to go to the hospital."

I sigh. "There was a monster in the temple. Did it follow me, or did it just happen to go there?"

"It wouldn't be the first temple Chambers attacked. How are you feeling, by the way? Not just anyone can take an axe to the gut and pull off a stunt like that."

A stunt. "I did what I had to do. I'm sore."

He laughs. "I know I've said this before, but you're just _full_ of surprises. I'm impressed."

"Thanks. I think." I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I'm apparently really good at throwing myself into crazy situations and getting myself hurt.

"You were talking in your sleep."

"I was?" Farore, what was I talking about?

Byrne gives me a little grin. "You were. It was pretty amusing. Don't ask me what you were talking about, because I couldn't understand a word of it, but you spent a good two hours muttering to yourself."

I shouldn't be surprised he couldn't understand me. I've been using the traitor-hero's sword, so he's probably the one responsible for my fuzzy head earlier. This sort of thing really should scare me more. This is getting far too _normal_. I sigh and let my head fall back to the pillow.

"Ah, so this is the young hero." It's a woman, judging by the voice; I don't know her.

"So you finally show interest in him," Byrne says. He's being snide, but there's a hint of respect in his voice, too. "Has the princess decided?"

"Decided what?" I have to ask, rocking my head over so I can see the woman.

She's short, but there's something about the way she stands that makes me think she's a warrior. I close my eyes and sigh; of course she's a warrior; everyone here has some connection to Princess Zelda, and several are her bodyguards. Bodyguards have to be tough.

"Just taking care of some business, Dearie. Impaz and Kafei are taking a certain Moblin to the prison for safekeeping; since he's not here, I'll be taking his place for the foreseeable future." She walks over to the bed and looks down at me.

Byrne stands up and stretches, as if I need any reminder of just how large he is. "I'll go find shadow-boy; I bet he'll want to talk to you."

"I'm not going anywhere," I say with a sigh. Then I raise one hand up towards her. "Link Masters, at your service."

She laughs at that and gives me a wink. "Call me Anjean, young hero. And I believe for the time being, we should be at your service. I'm sure that many people in Kakariko would fall over themselves to help you if you'd only let them."

The people in the temple... "Are the priests and the others all right?"

"The only one who has anything worse than a few minor scrapes and bruises is you. Granted, the ones I saw are quite shaken, but they seem mostly all right. I know some of them were able to speak with the reporters."

Reporters? I groan. "There were _reporters_?"

"They didn't show up until later. It seems that once people were able to get out of the temple, some of them called the guards. Impaz and I overheard it on our radio and decided we should investigate. It's just as well we did; we were able to get you into our vehicle before the reporters arrived." She reaches up and brushes some of the hair off my forehead. "I haven't heard how the news chose to describe it."

"The news just called it an altercation. You knew they weren't going to mention a monster," Dark says, walking into the room and sitting next to me on the bed. "Am I going to have to follow you _everywhere_ now?"

I'm glad they didn't mention a monster; I don't want people to panic. "What happened to it, anyway? Did you kill it?"

He shakes his head. "I finished it off, sure, but I'm pretty sure it was bleeding out when I got to it. You got it good."

It's somewhat comforting to know that my crazy move didn't miss. That doesn't make it any less desperate or crazy, but at least it did its job. Still, reporters?

"Why were the reporters there in the first place?"

Anjean chuckles. "I can't speak for them, Dearie, but I find an emergency call about a temple being attacked to be quite unusual. I'm sure those reporters feel the same way."

"Yeah," Dark says, "they heard the call and went to have a look, since that's what they do. They've reported about everything else, so why not this?"

They're right. Reporters report the news, so anything that's news-worthy is worth their interest. I haven't cared about the news before, so why do I hate the idea so much today? I close my eyes and sigh. The other heroes never had to worry about a reporter showing up with a camera while they were fighting, did they?

"Tch, calm down. It's not like the news has video of you fighting that thing. The report I saw talked about an altercation, and they had a short interview with one of the priests. To hear him talk, the goddesses saved him." He pokes my shoulder. "Still, if you're going to keep this up, I'm going to make you start carrying your own potions. Speaking of which, how long's it been since that bandage was changed?"

Anjean chuckles again. "We changed it when we brought him in here. We're taking good care of him, Dark."

"Yeah, yeah; can't blame me for worrying."

I remember how long it took my shoulder to heal. I don't think I have that much time. "How bad is it? Shouldn't I be at the hospital?"

Dark starts removing the mass of gauze and bandages covering my stomach. "There's a reason we didn't take you to the hospital. Remember about your shoulder, how I couldn't give you much potion so it wouldn't heal too fast? If there's no doctor to scrutinize every inch of your wounds, there's nothing saying I can't just give you the strongest stuff I can get."

"He's been quite insistent about it, too," Anjean says; she sounds amused by all of this. "He insists that we use potion to doctor your wound when we bandage it."

"No one has a problem with me not going to the hospital?" That doesn't make sense. Someone must've protested, right?

"Normally, I would've taken you straight there, but we don't know if that beast was alone, or if there are more - nor do we know what reason it had for being in that temple. We can't be certain you'd be safe in a hospital."

"Something could've followed us back here." I can't believe this hasn't come to mind before now.

Anjean gives me this odd smirk, like she knows some great secret. "Don't worry about us, Dearie. You can only follow me when I want to be followed, even if I'm on wheels. Impaz is even stealthier than I am, so you're all in good hands."

"Oh, good. It's already looking better," Dark says, tossing the last of the bandages onto the bed beside me.

I try to look down, but I can't really see much more than angry red skin. "It is?"

"Yeah. Between lots of potion and just you being really damned lucky - it must've caught more of your jacket than you, though your jacket's pretty torn up - I think you'll be fine in a couple of days." He walks over to the dresser and comes back with clean bandages and a vial of blue.

"My jacket...?" That's right. I never took my jacket off, and it's a thick riding jacket. It wasn't much, but it would be enough to maybe make a difference... I'm luckier than I thought.

He starts rubbing the contents of the vial on my stomach. I hiss and pull away; that's cold!

"Sorry." He doesn't _sound_ very sorry.

Either way, I don't really have any room to protest. I'm not going to be doing much until this heals.

"Do you need a hand with that?"

Dark shakes his head. "I can get it."

Anjean nods. "All right, then, I think you could use something to eat. I'll be right back." She gives me a wink. "Try not to worry about the rest of us for a while. The princess is in good hands."

I hope she's right. I lean back and stare at the ceiling.

"There's nothing you can do about it right now, Link," Dark says softly, still working.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," I reply. "There was a monster at the temple, and it was in disguise."

He seems to think about that. "If it was in disguise, then I bet it wasn't looking for you."

"It called me 'hero'."

"Okay, so it called you hero. Here's a question: did it look at you and call you that, or did you do something to give it an excuse to mock you?"

"I..." Oh. "I pulled a priest out of its reach."

He nods. "All right, then. That complicates things just a bit. Did it call you _hero_ because it knows who you are, or was it just mocking the one person who dared stand his ground? It could go either way. In fact, if it didn't make a point of attacking you instead of just whoever was closest, I'm willing to bet it was there purely to cause trouble."

"Then it was a good thing I was there."

"Y'know, I knew when I said I'd probably go by that you'd go to the temple." He gives me a flat, unimpressed look. "This isn't how I wanted to spend the afternoon."

"Sorry. I didn't plan on getting hurt." My stomach feels numb now. Is it because of the potion? I hope so.

Dark laughs as he starts to bandage my stomach again. "And here I thought you were a masochist."

"What?" I can feel my face heating up. "I'm not a masochist!"

"Could've fooled me." He finishes bandaging my stomach without another word.

I stare up at the ceiling and try to find something to think about that can make me stop blushing. I'm not a masochist, I swear. I don't like getting hurt. But if it keeps someone else from getting hurt, I'll take the hit.

"There, all done." Dark climbs up onto the bed and lays down beside me, though he's looking at one end of the headboard.

"What is it?"

He shakes his head. "It's been a long time since I saw that sword; that's all." He must mean Mercykeen. After a moment, he laughs. "I guess it's fitting that you were using it. I mean, that's the sword you were using the last time I was fighting with the Master Sword."

"It's hard to use."

"Only 'cause you're not used to it. You used to swing that thing around like it was nothing."

He has a point. I think the traitor-hero is the strongest of all of the heroes, at least physically. He was scary with his sword, and he did most of his fighting in full armor...

"That was then," I say softly. "I'm not much of a swordsman now."

"You're one when it counts." Dark shifts, leaning in to rest his head right next to mine. "So. Did you work out whatever was bothering you?"

That weird vision at the overlook seems so long ago after that battle. "I think so. As much as I can, anyway."

He strokes my hair; it feels kind of nice. "At least something went right, then."

"Is it true that Kafei's gone?"

"Yeah. He and Impaz are taking Ralph to the old fortress prison near town, and once he's safely there, they're going to return to Northcastle to do some reconnaissance. From the sounds of it, for the moment, Northcastle's oddly quiet, and everyone wants to know why."

It's not really relevant, but I have to ask. "What were you planning to do today?"

He scowls slightly. "I wanted to talk."

"About us." It's a statement, not a question.

"Yeah." He sighs noisily. "I was thinking of finding some quiet corner and trying to get answers."

For whatever reason, I find myself thinking of a conversation we had a long time ago, a conversation where Dark stressed that we might not have time. I thought that was silly and kind of selfish of him, but... he's right. Luck, a thick riding jacket, and I don't know how much potion are the only reasons we're even able to talk now. I could've been injured worse than I am.

I could've been killed.

"Here we are," Anjean says, walking in the door with a tray of something. Whatever it is, it smells pretty good. "This should help you keep your strength up. Do you think you can sit?"

Only one way to find out. "I can try."

It turns out that I can, but Dark has to help me. My stomach doesn't hurt sitting up any more than it did when I was on my back; I'm taking that as a good sign. Anjean stays long enough to make sure I'm comfy before disappearing again.

I stare down at the bowl of soup on the tray. I'm not sure if I should eat or go back to the conversation. Maybe I can do both at once.

"Dark, I... I'm sorry I've been taking so long. I'm used to things making some kind of sense, not, well, this."

"Tch, I should be the one apologizing for rushing you. I'm just impatient about some things." He shakes his head. "You should eat right now; we can talk about this later."

I _am_ eating, but I decide to ignore that part. "There might not be a later. That thing could've killed me."

"It didn't."

"It could have! For months, I've been telling myself that I'll figure out how I feel about you later. After the Gala, after we rescue Vael, after _this_, after _that_. Every time one thing falls into place, something else comes up... and I just keep putting it off. I'm running from it." I force myself to keep talking. "It's the one bit of being Link that I _can_ run from, so I have. I'm just afraid of what might happen if I actually admit how I feel."

Dark doesn't answer. He's not looking at me; instead, he's staring down at the tray. I'm not sure if his silence is because he's thinking or because he wants me to stop talking.

Finally, he says, "I guess it depends on how you feel."

"I..." My throat's tight. Really, really tight. I take a couple of breaths hoping the feeling will ease off a bit, but it doesn't, so I try eating some more. It doesn't really help either, though at least I don't look like I'm at a loss for words when I've got a spoon in my mouth. Farore, what kind of hero can risk his life for strangers but can't talk to someone as close as Dark is to me? I shouldn't be this _cowardly_.

"Yeah?"

It's one sentence, three simple little words, and it's repeating itself over and over in my head, trying to get me to say what I've been refusing to put into words. I'm scared to say it, but what if I _had_ died today? If I had, Dark would never know exactly how it is I feel about him. I don't want to have any regrets. I don't need anything weighing on me when I'm in danger.

It doesn't take long to finish my soup, so I move the tray. It gets rid of Dark's distraction as well as my own. By now, the sentence repeating in my head isn't just my own thoughts; it's the voices of all the other heroes thinking along with me, as if they're trying to help get the words spoken. I can't put this off any longer. Dark deserves to know. After everything he's done for me all this time, he deserves to know.

I turn to him - he's still not looking right at me; now he's staring at my bandages - and take a deep breath. Here goes.

"I love you, Dark."

That makes him look at me. "You mean that?"

"I do."

"You really, _really_ mean that?"

What, does he not believe me? "Yes, I really, really mean it."

"...say it again."

"What?"

He leans in to get a better look at me, his expression guarded. "If you really mean it, say it again."

I hope he can't see the heat I feel in my face. "All right. I love you. I kept trying to tell myself it was just memories, but... it's not."

Dark grins. "I love you, too, but you already knew that." He leans in closer and reaches towards me, only to stop and shake his head before kissing the side of my neck. "You just had to wait until you were injured to tell me this, didn't you? If I didn't know better, I'd say you planned it this way."

"No, I didn't plan this," I protest.

He laughs, giving my neck a little nip. "All the more reason to get you healed up."

Is this really the place for that? "Won't that be a little obvious?"

"You worry too much. It's a big house, and the door has a lock. The only issue I see is your stomach, and that won't be a problem for long." He chuckles; his breath is hot against my skin. "Speaking of your stomach... was that enough food?"

I actually have to think about that. "I think so." It's not, really, but I don't really want him to move.

"Don't _think so_. If you're still hungry, I'll get you more. Besides, I haven't had anything yet, either." He climbs to his feet and snags the tray, giving me a pointed look. "Carrying two isn't any harder than carrying one. This won't take long."

"All right." I lean back against the headboard. I don't ache as much now; I guess it's just from the relief. It doesn't really make the situation any better, but it makes me feel a little better to finally admit it.

"You aren't falling asleep, are you?"

"No, I'm still awake." I definitely zoned out, though; I don't even remember hearing him open the door.

"Good." Dark sets the tray on the table by the bed and then falls down next to me again. "You're not moping, are you?"

"No. I'm just sore."

He nods. "I've got more potion if you want some."

I'm going to take him up on that in a bit. "Okay."

He leans in and nips at my ear; it sends a shiver down my spine. "C'mon, let's eat before it gets cold."

"You're using that as a distraction, aren't you?"

Dark grins at me. "Maybe. It won't last long, if that's what has you worried. I'll make sure you forget all about being sore."

I'm not sure if I should be thankful that I'm injured or cursing the fact.


	19. The Approaching Storm

_Author's note: I'm having difficulties replying to reviews, so I'd like to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. I'm glad to know people are enjoying this. I'll also apologize for being so slow about this. Real life is being a pain; that's really all I can say. Thank you, everyone, for your patience, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
_

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**The Approaching Storm**

I'm in some kind of temple. It's old, old and crumbling, but full of power.

And I'm not alone. There's a figure here, a massive figure made out of solid black. The figure holds up the Master Sword.

And the temple is gone, replaced by a high platform of stone, high enough to be above some of the clouds. There are two figures here, a man and a woman; they're arguing but I can't hear them. It's a memory, I realize. I'm remembering something, and I'm aware of it. That's...

...never happened before.

The two keep arguing, and then the man turns towards me and smirks, tossing pale hair away from his face. I feel myself yell a name, a name I should know, but the sound doesn't register.

- and then she _shrieks_ in pain as everything that isn't her or me shatters like so much glass; the man has just enough time to look shocked before he shatters with the rest. She reaches towards me, still shrieking, as her skin turns sickly and sallow, and then she crumbles away, leaving nothing but the lingering tingle of magic and the scent of old blood.

xXx

My head's so fuzzy this morning... like I had a dream but I just can't remember it. It's probably just as well; the dreams I _do_ remember... Well, Dark would love to make those reality. I groan and sit up, putting a hand on my stomach as I do. My stomach doesn't hurt nearly as much as it has; that's a good sign. I ease out of bed and up to my feet and decide to chance getting dressed. If nothing else, it's been three days since the attack on the Temple, and I'm getting really tired of being stuck in bed.

Of course, I think darkly as I work on a pair of jeans, if I'd quit getting hurt, I wouldn't be stuck in bed while potion heals my wounds. I scowl and grab the first shirt I see, pulling it on and buttoning it up. And I'd still have my jacket; it's now shredded and bloodstained. Damn it; I've had this jacket since back when I was still going to Eldin College. It's not the best riding jacket, but I've always liked it. It even matches Epona's green and black color scheme. And now I can't wear it anymore.

All things considered, it's a stupid thing to fixate on. It's the only normal thing, though, so I think that's why it bugs me so much. Nothing else makes much sense, but this does. My jacket's too torn up to wear, but I need a jacket if I plan on riding Epona anywhere, especially this time of year...

I sigh and look around. What's left of my jacket is hanging on the back of the chair in the corner; the rest of my riding gear - though admittedly, there's not much of it left - sits atop the dresser. The Master Sword and Mercykeen are still hanging from and propped against the headboard, respectively.

I walk over and draw the Master Sword, holding it up. Why do I feel so nervous holding this now? There's no reason to be so nervous, is there? I lower the sword and look down at the blade; for a moment, the blade looks _cracked_. What? I barely have time to register that before it's gone, and the blade is just as unblemished as ever.

Maybe I've spent too long doing nothing; maybe I'm seeing things. I put the Master Sword back in its sheath and then walk around to where Mercykeen sits. I really need to find a sheath for this. I know I had one, once, but... it wouldn't be enchanted, so it's no doubt rotted away by now.

At the same time, I don't remember Mercykeen being enchanted. I lift the blade, watching the light dance along its length, and I realize that I've never really looked at it. The hilt's almost black, the blade a deep gray. The blade is long and thin, and as it approaches the hilt, the blade gets a bit wider, as if accommodating an engraving that doesn't exist. It's weird. The blade's clearly made for slashing, but the tip's sharp, too. Slashing and thrusting... Is it weird that a blade this long is built for both? I don't know.

I just don't get it. I don't remember the blade ever being enchanted, unless the smith did something he wasn't told to do or some of the energy from Ganon's Tower rubbed off on it over time, and yet, after however many centuries in that tomb, it's still sharp. Even after I used it as a crutch at the temple, the tip's still sharp. There aren't even any nicks or scratches or rough spots on the blade. I don't get it. Is there some kind of power in this blade that I didn't know about?

The Master Sword never reacted to the gauntlet like it was evil while it was somehow holding Mercykeen, but how will the swords react now? It's a dangerous thing, but I have to know if I'm right about this sword being evil, or if I'm just being that paranoid.

I lay Mercykeen on the bed and then lay the Master Sword beside it, staring down at the two blades for a moment. They're so different... Can one really be evil? Then again, if evil can't touch the Master Sword, a sword can be good, so...

I pick Mercykeen up again, holding it out over the Master Sword. I don't... The Master Sword should be gone, right? It should be at the bottom of the ocean, stuck in a stone that looks like a man... I scowl at that. Then where'd this sword come from?

No, I know. It came from the spirits, given to me on a train... I pick the Master Sword up with my other hand and stare at the blade. The one the spirits gave me had a pattern on it, a pattern of triangles. But it didn't have a Triforce on it. Then again... I remember a silver blade sometimes; the Master Sword hasn't always been blue.

It can change its form. Whether there really are two of them or just the one, this blade can change its form. What makes it change? Is it something about the hero it chooses each time?

I can see the pattern of triangles running down its blade, but am I really _seeing_ it or just _remembering_ it? The way my head is anymore, I can't tell.

If Dark were here, I could ask him. But he's not here; he went into town on some errand or another. And I can't very well ask anyone else, can I? They think I'm too crazy already.

There's a knock on the door, fairly loud. "Who's there?"

"It's me. May I come in?" Vael.

"Come on in." I look back down at the two blades. Mercykeen is in my left hand, the Master Sword my right.

The door opens and closes. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure this out," I reply. "Vael, do you see a pattern on this blade?"

He looks down at the Master Sword, looking thoughtful. His hair's pulled back in a messy bun, stray strands falling everywhere. "I think? It's faint, and every time I think I see it, it disappears."

"Can a sword change its appearance?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Link, the Four Sword split one man into four. If a magical blade can do _that_, changing its own appearance should be simple. Why?"

"Because I'm confusing myself." I decide not to mention that there might be a second Master Sword. If there is, if it _is_ still at the bottom of the ocean, then surely it's safe. How could anyone get to it? "What do you think would happen if a holy blade and an evil blade touched?"

"I don't know. I'd assume it's like any other magic; the stronger would destroy the weaker. We'd have to find an evil blade to test it."

"We've got one." I raise Mercykeen slightly.

Vael gives me a skeptical look. "Somehow, I doubt that. You're thinking of testing it, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

He nods. "Then test it."

That's easy for him to say, I think. I look down at the swords in my hands and take a deep breath. He's right, though. I can sit here and think about this forever, but the only way to know for sure is to see if the Master Sword reacts to Mercykeen.

"You might want to stand back." I rock the blades inwards until the flats touch, bracing for a blast of magic.

There _is _a blast of magic, but it's nothing like what I expected. It's gentle and peaceful, yet it's rushing. The Triforce on the Master Sword's blade lights up, and then the blade flares its power; the Triforce of Courage flares its own in response, waking of its own accord. I dimly hear Vael say something about the light, but all I can really hear is the magic singing. A pattern of triangles in a row, alternating between pointing left and pointing right, lights up down the length of the Master Sword, and then the same pattern runs up Mercykeen's blade. A large triangle lights up in green near where Mercykeen's blade meets the hilt, in the same place the Triforce sits on the Master Sword, only this triangle points towards the hilt instead of towards the tip of the blade. For an instant both weapons are humming in my hands, two different tones in near-perfect harmony, as the two blades both glow golden...

And then the pattern and the hum and the glow all vanish. My left hand is numb now.

"Farore, what was that?" All I can do is stare down at the blades in my hands. They look just like they did before they touched, as if nothing happened at all.

"I don't really know, but... I don't think Mercykeen is evil. Considering that that sword and the Triforce freed me from that magical control..." Vael narrows his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure of it. Mercykeen isn't an evil weapon."

"But it was made by Ganon's best smith, in Ganon's tower... Surely that evil would've rubbed off on it, right?"

"Perhaps. I'm certain that at one point it did, but it's possible that after that, something happened to purify the evil from it."

"I don't remember anything like that happening."

He shrugs. "It may have happened after you... after you died."

That's a possibility; since they took the time to give me - him - a proper burial, it's not that outlandish to think they purified Mercykeen while they were at it.

That doesn't solve the problem that Mercykeen doesn't feel any different than I remember. Could I be remembering wrong? I don't know. I never intended for Mercykeen to be an evil blade, but... made by evil, made _in _evil, covered in the blood of innocents... How could it _not_ be an evil blade after all of that?

I'm not getting anywhere. No matter what I think, the Master Sword clearly doesn't register Mercykeen as evil, so... that must mean the blade isn't evil.

I set the swords down on the bed and sigh. "I'm sorry, Vael; is there something you needed?"

"Not really. I'm looking for something to keep my mind off of things."

"What kind of things?" Does this have something to do with his messy hair?

He sighs. "I'm experimenting, I suppose. I've tried tracking the Triforce of Courage, but I couldn't get a fix on you. I tried tracking you specifically, and I couldn't find you. I decided to try the Master Sword, and I did find it, but it was in two different places, so it seems there's some misdirection happening."

"Why were you trying all of that?"

"I thought that if I could track one Triforce, I could track the others. It would be useful to know where the Triforce of Power is, but it seems the Triforces can't be tracked."

That makes sense, actually. "That would explain why they can be hidden. It's impossile to track them even when you know what to track."

Vael nods; more of his hair falls from the messy bun.

"Did you try tracking Mercykeen?"

"I did, and I managed to get a rough sense of which direction it was, but... When I tried to look further, it was as if something was interfering with my magic. My best guess is that it was because Mercykeen has been in the same room as you; whatever it is about the Triforce that hides you probably extends to your sword."

"It might be the gauntlet, too. I'm not sure what kind of enchantment the Great Fairy put on it, and Mercykeen was apparently stored in it for a few days."

"I didn't think of that... Fairy magic is good at misdirection, and since Mercykeen was in the gauntlet for a while, it's possible that the gauntlet's magic is helping hide it, yes."

There's a more overarching question here. "Why are you trying to track swords? I can see why you'd test the Triforces, but why my swords?"

"To be honest, when I couldn't track you, I thought perhaps I was working the spell wrong. I do make mistakes now and then. I decided to test it on your swords to see if the problem was the spell or the target."

"Why are you worried about the spell working? What is it you want to track?"

"I want to try tracking down Chambers. He's not incompetent with magic, so I know it won't be easy. I'm most likely going to get struck with backlash for even trying, but if we could get even the slightest idea of where he is or what he's up to, then we'll be one step closer."

If we track him now, then maybe I can figure out what's really going on here. Is Chambers honestly the one behind this? I know Dark saw him and Vael heard him, but... If we can find Chambers, I can ask him why. I have to know why.

In the meantime, I try to think about this as technically as I can. "We don't know where the Triforce of Power is. What if he has it?"

Vael grimaces. "Then there's no way this is going to work. If that's the case, I'll have to work around it, perhaps try tracking that cult."

I nod. I guess that's really all he can do, isn't it? I can't help going back to something else he said. "You mentioned the Master Sword being in two places? What places?"

"One was here. Well, inside the canyon, anyway. The other... east."

"How far?"

"I couldn't really tell. This side of Parapa; that's really all I can say."

What the? I thought maybe he'd actually proven that there's a second Master Sword, but if it's this side of Parapa Desert, then it's not in the ocean. And since that's where it would be if it existed... Northcastle's this side of Parapa, after all, and until a couple of weeks ago, that's where the Master Sword was, so Vael must be detecting some weird echo or something.

"Link, are you all right? You look worried."

"I've just had too much time to lay around and think."

"Ah." Vael gives me a weak smile. "I know how that goes. One thing I did want to do was ask your opinion."

"About trying to track Chambers?" When he nods, I continue. "I'm not sure it's worth risking the backlash, but... I do think it's worth a try."

"I don't have the power like this."

"What are you -?"

"If I'm going to do this, I need to transform. It's the only way I'll have the strength to work the spell."

I don't think I like the sound of _that, _especially since the word 'transform' brings to mind an evil-looking winged eye. "What do you mean, transform?"

He closes his eyes, and a breeze starts blowing. Vael simply steps up into the air, his hair and robe flying around him, and then the copper line on his robe splits as that third eye opens. I shiver. He doesn't attack; he merely opens his normal eyes, though they're now red, and looks at me.

"This is what I mean. I don't know how the others will take it, but I'm mostly worried about how you will."

I have to admit, it's more than a little creepy seeing him like this. It wasn't _that_ long ago that that very form was chasing me through the canyons. Still, he's not acting hostile, and the Master Sword says he's not evil, so...

"I trust you."

He gives me a small bow before stepping back to the floor, though he doesn't change back. "That's honestly more than I deserve, but thank you."

"I know what you did, Vaati, but... People change, right? Besides, you managed to step out of the shadows once; you can do it again."

"You think too highly of me, Link. I never have forgotten what happened. I still dream of it here and there. Sometimes I even wish I could try it again."

"But you _don't_ try."

He sighs. "No, I don't."

"Exactly." I nod, giving him a weak smile; I hope he can't tell how much I have to force it. "If I wanted to forever deem you a monster just because you have bloody hands, well..." I look down at Mercykeen. "I'd be the bigger monster, wouldn't I?"

"Link..." He frowns. "I doubt that."

I shake my head. "It's a long story."

"Perhaps."

"Besides, I might be misremembering, but I don't remember Vaati killing anyone."

"I sent Moblins to kill you, and..." he closes his eyes. "What about Zelda?"

I shrug. I'm trying not to think too hard about that, afraid I'll slip back into a memory. "I stopped you, and she did forgive you."

"I wish I had more time to talk with her after I was struck down. I should've been the one to apologize to her, not Master Ezlo." He shakes his head. "What's done is done."

"Exactly. What's done is done. We can't change our pasts. All I really care about is who you are now. And I... I trust Vael." More than trust, honestly, but I don't know if I want to say that. Things are complicated enough between the two of us without throwing that in, too.

"I see." He gives me an odd look, like he's thinking about something. "This doesn't have anything to do with what we've been talking about, but..." He reaches out and takes my hand, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. "Are you all right?"

"I think I am." I keep forgetting that his hands are as strong as they are; they look delicate, and they are, but they're strong, too.

He traces the Triforce mark, dark and birthmark-like since I'm not calling on its power, and then looks at me. "I suppose that's all I can ask for, all things considered."

He has marks, too, on his cheeks. They look almost like little, dark, stylized tornadoes that curve along his cheekbones. I reach up with my free hand and trace one. "You don't normally have these."

"I don't normally have red eyes, either." He sounds amused.

I scowl; how did I just realize this? "Where'd your glasses go?"

"I don't remember now. I know I took them off when I regained my power, but I don't remember where they are. It's all right; I don't need them."

He doesn't need them? "Then why wear them?"

He shrugs. "They make me look a bit more scholarly, don't you think?"

"I guess they do. I'm not very good at looking like a historian, remember?"

He laughs at that. "Part of it was that I just wanted something to make myself look a little different, and I didn't want to cut my hair. Glasses were an easy way to do that."

That makes sense, yeah. Glasses can be taken off; hair takes time to grow. "So, you hide your marks with magic?"

"Yes, I do," Vael says with a nod. "If I'm going to hide my eyecolor, it only feels proper to hide my marks, as well. Still, I think for a while, I'm going to stop covering them up. Would that bother you?"

Those red eyes aren't that creepy, I decide. They're not that different from Dark's, though Vael's are a bit lighter, like wine or colored glass, while Dark's are darker. "If it's more comfortable for you, I'll be all right."

"It's not really any more comfortable, but it saves me the magic I normally use to fuel the illusion. I wouldn't worry normally, but if I'm going to try magically tracking Chambers, then I need all the magic I can get. This won't save much, but..."

"But every little bit counts." I nod. "When are you thinking about doing this magic?"

"Probably later this afternoon, around sunset. I should ask the princess if it's all right that I try it. It won't take more than a couple of hours to prepare, though I'll have to allow time to clear a spot on the ledge." He apparently sees the odd look I give him, because he continues, "I'm going to be doing this outside, just in case someone on the other end looks at me. There's no reason to believe that I'm with the princess, and since the Triforce will presumably hide you and her, we should be all right as long as I'm far enough from the house that it's not immediately detectable."

"I think she'd be fine with it."

"I think she will be, but I'd rather make sure before I start." He sighs. "I should probably go ask her. Anjean seems to know some magic; perhaps she can help."

"Maybe she can."

"What are you going to do?"

I sigh and look down at the swords on the bed. "I'm going to try going downstairs. I know there's probably nothing I don't already know, but I want to try and catch some news."

"Here, I'll go downstairs with you, in case you need help."

"Thanks." I take one last look at the blades, and then we go downstairs. I manage to make it down the stairs without falling, though it takes me some time. Vael helps me over to the couch and then, once I'm comfortable, heads off in search of the princess. The telephone rings, but I ignore it; it's not like they'd want me answering it even if I could reach it. Instead, I turn on the television and flip through the channels until I find some news. It won't keep me from dwelling on things, but I do want to keep up with what's happening.

It doesn't take long to find a channel showing midday news.

Naturally, the attack at the Temple is still topic number one; there's an interview with the guard about their investigation into the attack, as well as an interview with the priest who was there that day. The guard captain doesn't have anything interesting to say - the usual "we're conducting an investigation; I can't say anything right now" - but the priest says that Farore protected all of them, and that's why everyone got out alive.

Farore. Is that why he looked so calm when he looked at me that last time? But wait, he was looking at me... Vael has to transform to call on his full power. When I'm calling on the Triforce, do _I _change somehow, too? Maybe I should ask Dark about that.

The news shifts to an update about the Gala attack, though about all there is to say is to update the numbers of injured and dead, along with a mention of people trying to connect it to the assassination attempt on the princess and the attack on the Temple of Nayru. The news even shows a brief video of the king calling on the people of Hyrule to stay vigilant in these troublesome times, and that the people behind this will be caught and brought to justice. Something's off, though; the king looks pale and a bit strained, like he's hurt but pushing himself. Did something happen?

I don't know what to think about this. Sixteen days... Sixteen days ago was the Gala and the night that everything changed. Just over two weeks; it seems so much longer than that. What can a madman do in sixteen days? It's been a week, roughly, since the Triforce of Courage ended up in my hand. Someone out there, somewhere, has had the Triforce of Power for seven days. What has he or she done in that week?

And what's with this other Master Sword Vael detected? Is it an echo, or is it something else? I'd be a lot calmer about this if not for the fact that I _know_ Chambers or whoever's behind this is after the Master Sword. Vael might have hit that echo, but what if someone with more magic than him tries...?

"Oh, hey, you're actually downstairs. Feeling better?" It's Dark; I don't look at him.

"Physically, yes."

"Oh, good." He sounds pleased with himself. "Then maybe we can have some fun. After all, it's going to take them a while to set up for their spell..."

"Vael told you?"

"I walked in on the discussion they're having. Might be interesting."

"Do you think it's dangerous?"

He laughs. "Of course it's dangerous. Everything about this is dangerous. But we've got to figure out what's going on here somehow, so I say it's worth a shot." He sits down beside me on the couch, dropping a duffel bag at his feet. "I just wish it was something I could help with."

"Maybe you can help me with other things."

"What kind of things?" He's still wearing his jacket - no, he's _not_ wearing his jacket; he's wearing a different one. It's made of a slightly different material, and there are red stripes down his sides as well as down his sleeves. His shoulders and elbows are a little bulky and padded, like there's some armor built into the jacket. It's a nicer jacket than my old one. Mine is nice and comfortable, but this one looks like a good riding jacket.

"First, er, when'd you get that?"

He laughs. "I got it earlier. Or well," he picks up the duffel bag and hands it to me, "I got you a couple of things you need. If I'd known you'd be up and about today, I would've taken you with me."

"It's all right." I unzip the duffel bag, wondering what he got. The first thing I see is a helmet, a black helmet with green stripes on the sides, one that looks a lot like my old one. I pull it on; it fits perfectly. Of course it does; Dark can try things on because we're effectively the same size.

"I figured you needed a new one, since we never did find your old one. And if you're going to keep riding it, you'll need gear."

I pull the helmet off and set it on the couch next to me before looking in the bag again. There's a jacket in there, one just like the one Dark has on, only the one in the bag is a deep green with black stripes on the sides and sleeves. It's a damned good jacket, all said.

"You didn't have to, Dark..."

"Eh, I wanted to. Besides, you're going to need a jacket, and honestly, you'd look weird in any other color."

I have to smile at that. "I probably would." I like green. There's just something comforting about the color, but I'm not sure what.

"I couldn't find one with armor in the stomach, so be careful about that." His voice is soft, a little amused but also a little worried.

"I don't plan on doing that again."

"Good." He wraps one arm around my shoulders. "I don't like seeing you hurt."

"I'm doing better now."

"Now. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

I tell him about the weird echo the Master Sword has and the strange reaction I got when I tested Mercykeen. "What do you think?"

"With Mercykeen, I don't have a clue. But... there are two Master Swords. There's the first one that was left in the old Hyrule, and then there's the one that the spirits of the new Hyrule gave the hero."

"Shouldn't they look different?"

He shrugs. "Not a clue. Maybe it's just some reaction it has with the hero. Might as well be asking why you look different each time."

"Dark! I keep getting reborn -"

"And you _could_ just look the same each time, yet you don't. True, it doesn't get reborn, but it sleeps and it wakes. I change appearance, so presumably it could, too."

"If there's a second Master Sword, though... is it all right?"

"I don't know. And we're not going to be able to go check. Besides, it's in the ocean, and the echo's on land, so... I don't know. It's a holy blade, though, so it should be all right."

I hope he's right. At the same time, he has a point; how _can_ we check? At best, it's still down beneath the waves; at worst, someone has it. But if only the Chosen Hero can wield it, then... to anyone else, it's just a sword. And if that anyone is evil, then they can't touch the sword, right?

I shake my head. It's out of my hands, apparently. Even if someone manages to find the other Master Sword and destroy it, I still have this one. I still have a blade of evil's bane in my possession. I can still save Hyrule.

Right? I hope so. I should've remembered this sooner, should've done something...

"You're dwelling on things again," Dark says softly. "Look, we'll deal. If someone stole the other Sword, we'll just kick their ass and get it back. _Now_, how about we take your mind off things, hmm?"

"What do you mean?"

He lets go of my shoulders, putting his hand on my leg and rubbing my thigh, giving me a massive grin. "You know what I mean."

"I'm confused." And I am. There are too many things running through my head to think straight.

"Understandable. But I know one thing. You know you want me."

I feel my face heat up. "Dark! What if someone hears you?"

"They're all talking about magic and stuff we're no good at. They're not going to notice if we head upstairs for a while. Come on; it'll be good to get your mind off of everything."

That may be true, but can I... I love him, but I'm not sure if I'm ready. But if Vael and the others are going to be looking for Chambers, then we might have to move before long. This might be the only chance we have to be together.

"Let's go upstairs, Link."

"All right." I climb to my feet, grabbing my helmet and my jacket as I do.

Dark grins and follows me up the stairs, tossing his jacket on the chair in the corner when we get there. I set my jacket and helmet with the rest of my gear; something clicks behind me.

"There; now we won't be disturbed," Dark says, sounding proud of himself. "It's just us now."

I'm not sure I can shut my thoughts up long enough to do anything. "So what now?"

"What do you mean, what now?" He slides his shirt off, tossing it out of the way.

I don't know how I managed to, but I forgot just how muscular he is. It's not bad, by any means, just... I'm not used to thinking about him like, well, a _lover_ and not just a friend.

I walk over to the bed and lift the swords off of it, putting the Master Sword back in its sheath and then propping Mercykeen against the headboard. There are no signs of the strange triangle pattern on either blade, nor is there a trace of the green triangle on Mercykeen. I don't get it at all...

I fall onto the bed and sigh, trying to force that thought out of my head for a while. "What are we supposed to do now, Dark?"

"For one..." he falls next to me and starts unbuttoning my shirt. "You need to stop worrying about swords or magic or monsters or _anything. _You've been a bundle of nerves for days now."

"It's been just over two weeks since everything I knew started to fall apart! How can I not be?"

"I know, Link. But this isn't getting you anywhere. Besides," he unbuttons the final button and lets my shirt hang open, "you're healed now, and honestly... I want to have some fun."

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you?" I can't decide if I feel right looking at his chest or not, so I stare at his choker.

He laughs and leans in towards me, nipping at the tip of my ear. "For a long, long time."

"What do we do?"

"We relax, that's what." He sits next to me, running one hand down my chest. "What do _you_ want to do?"

I remember the dreams I've been having, dreams about having Dark wrapped around me and moving against me... I close my eyes. It seems like such a strange thing to even think about, but...

What am I so afraid of?

"Link?"

"I'm sorry. I just..."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"I didn't say that. I just don't know what to do."

He sighs. "Don't worry about _knowing_. Just _do_. This doesn't have to make sense, just feel good." He traces the pendant around my neck and then runs his hand down my chest again.

That does feel good, I have to admit. Is that so simple? No, it's supposed to be, isn't it? I open my eyes and look over at him; he's watching me.

I reach over and toy with his choker strings. Why am I being so nervous about this? I mean, I love him, so why am I being so damned _skittish_ about this? I wouldn't keep dreaming of this for no reason, right? I'm not afraid of this... or am I? I don't see why I should be.

I trust him.

"You going to be all right?"

"I think I will," I say softly.

"Good." He leans in and kisses me. It's been a long time since we did this. No, it can't have been that long; why does it feel like it? Things have just been that hectic, haven't they?

I sigh when we pull apart. I think I needed that.

"Feeling better?"

"A bit, yes."

He grins and plays with the zipper of my jeans. "Want me to make you feel even better?"

"Sure."

He laughs at that. "So then... are you going to strip, or should I strip you?"

That makes me blush slightly. "I can do it myself." And I can; it doesn't take me long to work out of my jeans and kick them to the foot of the bed.

He's naked before I am. I give him a curious look. "It doesn't take you much, does it?"

Dark just grins at me again. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."

I nod. I feel like I should apologize about that, but... I don't know. Instead, I take a moment to look him over. The tattoo on his hip gets my attention; is mine that obvious? Probably so. I remember how, when we were in Waypoint, he called my tattoo fitting.

I finally get what he meant now. It _is_ fitting, though now I really wonder if _I_ chose it at all...

That thought makes me look down at his left hand. Sure enough, there's a Triforce on the back of his hand, looking oddly like a birthmark. Like my own...

"Link... you're letting yourself get distracted again."

"I'm sorry."

He looks down at his hand and then up at me, smirking. "If you keep doing this, I'll just have to distract you back."

"Dark..."

He cuts me off with another kiss. "Well?" He's sizing me up, I can tell. For once, I don't think I mind the scrutiny.

"Do you like what you see?" I have to ask.

Dark leans in until our noses are almost touching. "Oh, I don't know... You tell me."

"I think you do." No, there's no _think_; I know he does. And just because I can, I lean up and kiss the tip of his nose.

He kisses me back, moving against me, hot skin brushing hot skin. Okay, maybe I'm more ready for this than I thought... He seems to think something similar, because he laughs.

"Do you want me?" he asks, smirking broadly down at me.

"Yes, I do."

"All right, then..." He leans in until our foreheads touch; weird, I remember his hair falling around us like a curtain, but his hair's a little shorter than mine... I can feel his hand sliding down my chest and stomach, all the way down to -

I suck in a quick breath. His hand is rough against my soft skin, but not overly so; I can tell he's more used to holding a weapon than I am.

He laughs and stops, moving his hand back up to my chest. He's waiting for me, isn't he? I trace a line down his chest, slowly working my way down until my fingers find something hot and soft yet hard. I toy with it for a moment, trying to decide if I have the nerve to do anything else.

Dark reaches for something I can't see, and then he holds up a small vial of something with a triumphant grin. "I think you're going to want this."

I reach out and take it - it's some kind of oil. It smells slightly spicy when I open the bottle. "I think I will."

"So," he nips at my ear again. "Where do you want me?"

I look at the vial of oil and then at him, looking him up and down. I have to admit; he looks pretty damned good. All of my worries are still nagging at me, but I think I can ignore them for a while. Now, where do I want him...?

I blush. Could I really do that? He did just hand me the vial of oil, so... "Will you lay on your back?"

He grins. "I think I can do that." He does exactly that, making a show out of laying down and staring up at me. "Why do you want me like this, hmm?"

I wave the vial of oil at him, trying to not sound nervous. I'm not very successful. "So I can have you."

"That's what you want, is it?" He reaches up and takes the vial, pouring some on his hand. "Maybe I should help you out, then."

"Maybe you should."

Dark apparently uses that as an excuse to have fun at my expense, because he takes his time oiling himself, staring at me the entire time. It's making it hard for me to focus on what I'm doing. But then that's the point, isn't it?

"All right. I'm ready," he says with a laugh. "Are you?"

"As ready as I can be," I admit.

He nods and makes himself comfortable again. "Then come on. Let's have some fun."

"I, er..."

He reaches up and grabs my pendant, pulling me down to meet him. "Are you afraid?"

"No." I know that much. "I'm just nervous."

"We'll see how long that lasts," he says with a laugh, pulling me down for another kiss. We don't stop there.

xXx

I don't know how long we spend like that, only that when I can actually think again, I feel pretty damned good. I think... I think I needed that. Needed him? That's an odd way to think about it. Still, I feel a lot better now.

We're on the bed, side by side; I don't want to move. I should be worried about someone figuring this out, shouldn't I? Right now, I'm not. I'm comfy right where we are, just like this.

"Told you it'd be good, didn't I?"

I have to chuckle a little at that. "You tell me a lot of things."

"Mm-hmm, and you believe me about a lot of others."

"Yeah, but the others are... different."

"Different how?"

"More focused on fighting and risking my life, for one thing."

It's mid-afternoon judging by what I can see of the sky. I wonder if Vael and the others have finished their preparations...

Dark laughs next to me; I feel it more than I hear it. "Hey, it all counts as exciting, doesn't it?"

"I'd rather not have some of this excitement," I say dryly.

"Take the good with the bad. Besides, some things are worth all the stress."

I'm not so sure of that, but I don't mention it. I shouldn't have let my thoughts drift to Vael; the worry's starting to come back. What happens next could change everything.

Then again, every big event that's happened up to now has changed things. This one won't be particularly different. I've already risked my life, already nearly been killed, so there's not really much worse things can get... well, for me, anyway. Hyrule still seems pretty normal. It could get a lot worse for normal people, and I can't let that happen.

I just _can't_.

He rolls over and wraps an arm around me, resting his head on my shoulder. "You should believe me more often."

"Maybe so."

I manage to lay there for a few more minutes. My body's tired, and I'm not even sure I can stand up without falling over, but my head won't stop going back to the fact that there's magic being prepared and things could go wrong and we might not be safe here much longer.

Dark sighs and stretches. "Can't say I _want_ to move, but we should probably get downstairs before someone comes looking for us."

"You weren't worried about that before," I murmur.

He chuckles. "No, I wasn't. And I wouldn't be now if Vael wasn't about to work some magic."

Something about the phrasing of that... "Would it be different if it wasn't Vael?"

"Of course. If it's not someone important, I don't care what they do. Then again..." he pulls himself up to a sit, groaning softly, "I don't think there's anyone here who counts as 'not important' to you, is there? Maybe Kafei."

I have to laugh a little at that. Kafei isn't 'not important' by any stretch, but he still doesn't like me. I'm just glad Byrne's not nearly so untrusting, especially since he's the one with plenty of reasons to hate me. "Maybe."

Dark staggers to his feet and stretches again. "Just so you know, next time we get time to ourselves, neither of us is getting out of bed until we're good and damned ready to, understand? None of this checking on someone else or _anything _like that. You, me, and the bed. Nothing else."

"Nothing else." I'm looking forward to that, honestly. This was nice, but it's hard to really enjoy it while I've got Vael's plan weighing on me.

"Good." He tosses me my shirt. "It's a date, then."

"Did you have to put it like that?" I mutter as I climb shakily to my feet and start carefully getting redressed.

"Actually, yes. Yes, I did." He shoots me a broad grin, but then his expression turns more serious. "You should take the Master Sword with you, just in case."

I nod. "I was planning to. I don't know if I'll need it, but I'd feel a lot better if I had it." Especially considering what happened last time I got off without it. That time I had Mercykeen, but... I look over at where the massive dark blade rests against the headboard while I strap on my gauntlet. I don't know if I should try to put it back inside the gauntlet or not.

For now, I think I'll leave it here. For now.

xXx

"There you are," Byrne says as soon as we step outside. "I was wondering if you two had left."

"Nah, we were just staying out of everyone's way," Dark replies with a smirk.

I take a look around; everyone's out here, even Impaz and Kafei - when did they get back? The ledge is snow-free, and now an absolutely massive pattern of circles, triangles, lines, and ornate writing covers the stone. Who drew that? It looks like it should've taken days to finish... There are fires, three of them, spacing equally around the edge of the massive pattern. Anjean tends one, Impaz another, and Zelda sits by the third, talking with Kafei and Shad. Kafei looks almost mad, but I'm not sure why he's annoyed today.

"Where's Vael?"

Byrne nods his head over towards the canyon proper, his high, long ponytail swaying with the motion. "He was over there a moment ago. He said something about wanting to center before he started."

"Ah." That makes sense, I think. I take a couple of steps until I can see Vael off to one side, his hair and his robe flowing in a breeze I thankfully can't feel. As cold as it is out here, how can he stand the wind? I know he isn't exactly human, but I also remember all the times he's complained about being cold.

Dark walks over and sits down at Impaz's fire. It's an odd sight, Dark in his riding jacket next to an old woman wrapped in a thick blanket. She doesn't look all that dangerous, but then, right now, Dark doesn't look all that dangerous, either.

Kafei gets up with a loud huff and stalks over to Anjean, kneeling down and discussing something with her. I can't hear him, but judging by his body language, he's complaining about something, most likely the entire plan.

I use that as an excuse to go sit by the princess and... "What're you doing here, Shad? I thought you went back to town."

"I did. There's going to be a big meeting tonight, and I don't know the 'phone number for this place, so I came by to invite you. When I got here, I was invited to stay here and lend a hand, and I honestly can't help myself. I've never been able to watch ritual magic."

"Big meeting?"

"Oh, yes. Several people from the Royal History Project are going to be at the college this evening. It's supposed to be a discussion, but I'm afraid the topic has slipped my mind." Shad doesn't look away from the pattern on the ledge. He's really interested in this, isn't he? I never knew he cared much for magic.

Still, the Project... people I haven't seen since before the Gala, people I'm not sure are completely all right... "Do you know who's coming?"

"I didn't catch most of their names. The only one I can recall is a Professor Garrimed; I was told he's to be presenting something he calls a sword befitting a hero. I thought you might be interested."

Garrimed? Then he is alive; that's good to know. Where'd he find that sword? Every weapon in the museum is broken now, and even if it did survive, I've never heard anything about him and a hero's sword... Oh, what am I saying? It's _Garrimed_. Knowing him, he's had it at his place for careful study, and he's been holding his tongue until just the right moment to reveal what he's found. Still, this means something survived the Gala. I'll have to get in touch with him and see what it is when everything calms down.

A loud smack gets my attention and yanks me out of my thoughts and back to the ledge. Vael walks up to the edge of the pattern, his face neutral and unreadable. He stares down at the chalk and at the stone, and if not for the ever-present motion of cloth and hair, it would be easy to mistake him for a statue. I'm sure he's just trying to get ready for his spell, but it's still _eerie._

For Vael, he's being oddly serious. It's weird how much more mature and angular his face looks without those big round glasses in the way.

For Vaati, he's being oddly quiet. No boasting or cocky explanations, just pure focusing on the task at hand. It makes him look like the sorcerer he's always said he was.

"Are you certain you wish to do this, Shad?" Zelda says softly. "I wouldn't want you to miss your meeting." She's nervous; it's obvious in her voice.

"To be honest, Your Majesty, compared to the things I have seen over the last week, I doubt there is much I would terribly regret not seeing. Besides, I've always wanted to witness something like this, and especially if I can help you all out..." Shad looks over at me and chuckles wryly. "I suppose magic follows a hero."

"Hey, now..." I protest.

"It's quite all right, Link. I think... given the circumstances, I'd much rather be here than at the college. This feels like the more pressing matter in the scheme of things. And especially since I might be able to help, even if it's only a little, I think I want to be here."

He's going to help? I didn't think he knew magic. No, he wouldn't need to; they probably just need someone else to help focus the magic on the pattern so Vael can draw on it. That's what patterns like this are for, if I remember right: to help contain and focus magic. But if they need this many people to focus the magic, then... just how powerful is this spell going to _be_?

"Are you about this, Shad? It's going to be dangerous. This could go horribly wrong..."

"I'm quite aware of the risks, Link." And he does; I can see it in his eyes, a nervous determination. "Right now, I think Hyrule needs every bit of help she can get."

He has a point. I wish I could make him leave, but he won't listen. He's made his mind up. I just hope he doesn't get hurt.

"I'm ready," Vael says, finally. "Is everyone else?"

"As ready as we can be, dearie," Anjean says with a nod. Impaz and Zelda nod as well. Three fires, four extra people to focus energy... Can Vael handle all of this?

"Link, I need you to move away from the circle," Vael says with a faint nod. "keep your sword ready, but step back. I don't think you have the focus for this."

"Besides," Byrne adds, "we've got to watch their backs."

"All right." I don't like it, but I'll do it. I move back to stand near Byrne, now keenly aware of the magic humming gently against my back, around my right arm, in my left hand.

Din, Nayru, and Farore, please don't let anything go wrong, not with all of this magic here.

"Very well. I'm going to begin." Vael turns to those of us standing guard. "While the magic is active, don't touch the circle. If something goes wrong, get them as far from the circle as you can." He gestures towards the four helping with the focus. Four helping, four guarding; at least the numbers are even.

"What about you?" I have to ask.

He just shakes his head. "Don't worry about me."

And with that, he steps carefully into the massive chalk pattern and walks slowly to the middle. Not even the slightest hint of chalk dust rises, despite the wind still swirling around him.

He's in the middle. If something goes wrong, there's no way to get him away from the circle. If something goes wrong, he's going to be trapped in there.

This doesn't make me feel any more comfortable about this.

Vael doesn't notice my discomfort. He closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths. Anjean, Impaz, Shad, and Zelda have their eyes closed, concentrating on something. I feel magic humming strongly through the ground, centered on the chalk pattern and steadily increasing in strength.

Vael takes one last breath and noisily blows it out, stomping one boot against the stone ground. Instantly, the humming of the magic becomes audible. He starts chanting something in a language I don't recognize but I know I've heard, softly and slowly at first but getting louder and faster until it sounds like he's singing. He moves his arms in huge, sweeping motions, occasionally stomping the ground again. I'm not really sure if he's working magic or doing some strange dance, but the air's so full of magic now it's thick and heavy.

And it's dark. The only light comes from the glowing chalk curves and lines and the trio of fires. Everything beyond that light is gone, swallowed by pitch black darkness. I'm not entirely sure we're still still on that ledge anymore.

Vael growls in frustration and stomps the stone again, yelling something in that odd language, something forceful. The spell isn't working, is it? He can't detect Chambers. What does this mean?

The magic intensifies again, and everything seems to fall away. I'm numb and floating in a sea of darkness and magic. All I can see is Vael gesturing violently yet gracefully inside a pattern made of fire, blue and black and purple and red and green.

It's still not working. There's an image, hazy and indistinct, hovering in the air over one edge of the pattern, but there's not enough to be useful. Vael snarls something, his voice authoritative and demanding, and lashes out with both arms and a determined yell. For an instant, the haze snaps into focus. Chambers is sitting at a table in what looks like a conference hall, and he's not alone. I recognize Professor Sahasrahla and Garrimed, but there are others, too, others I don't know.

Then everything flashes deep, blood red, and for an instant, the magic is ice stabbing at me. Vael cries out in pain and shock and falls to one knee. The image returns to nothing but indistinct haze.

I almost run to him, but I can't feel my legs. Someone laughs. It's a familiar laugh, a _very_ familiar laugh, but the cold, arrogant edge to it is anything but familiar.

It's Chambers' laugh.

Everything flashes red again. Vael growls. The haze refocuses. Chambers is again visible, again in the conference room, but now Chambers is staring straight at us with an icy cold, evil gaze that pierces straight through the magic.

"I must say I'm impressed. Someone actually managed to find me. You are a fool for trying, though I do commend your skill with magic. I shall assume that since you have bothered to search for _me_, you know all too well just what it is that I can capable of." He narrows his eyes. "I should destroy you where you stand, mageling."

Vael forces himself to his feet, standing tall and defiant. "I'm no mageling. I am a _sorcerer_. The least you can do is call me such."

Why is he responding? No, why am I asking? Chambers knows the magic found him. We're caught. All I can do is hope Vael has some kind of backup plan, or we're in serious trouble.

All I can do is stay quiet. Vael has a chance of pulling something; if Chambers sees me, then he might see my sword, and if he realizes I have the Master Sword...

"_You?_" Chambers looks surprised. "Perhaps I was too quick to disregard you, Ziota. I never realized you were quite so skillful -"

"Flattery gets you nowhere," Vael replies, an edge creeping into his voice. It reminds me of Vaati, and that makes me shiver. "I already know my own power."

"So I see... I'm surprised. I expected a hero or a certain princess to be behind this intrusion, but all that I can see is one lone little sorcerer."

He can't sense us? Even with four people feeding the circle? How is this possible?

Vael gestures grandiosely around him. "What makes you think I need anything but my own power? Besides, aren't _heroes _and _magical princesses_ merely things of legend?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Chambers smirks. "Well, then... If you aren't working against me, why go to such effort to find me? Do I intrigue you?"

"I suppose you could put it that way." Vael's voice is calm but arrogant. I have to fight to keep from drifting into a memory. "I'm certain one such as yourself understands the drive for power, yes? I'm merely using what is available to me, and that includes taking advantage of _opportunities_ when they arise."

"I see..." Chambers looks thoughtful. "Would this still be an opportunity if some fool attacked you for it?"

Vael chuckles. "I've struck down fools for less. I know what power is, Chambers, and I know what power costs. I'm prepared to defend myself if I must." He shrugs. "No matter. This will all be idle speculation once the Hero's Blade is destroyed."

That certainly gets Chambers' attention. "What was that about a blade?"

"Ah, forgive me," Vael gives a small bow. "I was merely thinking aloud. Who does Hyrule have to defend itself? Certainly not those inept guards."

"I truly have misjudged you, Ziota. I didn't realize you and I were so like-minded. I thought you were more kind-hearted."

"All that matters is power," Vael says, flexing his fingers. "Perhaps we should speak further of this."

"Perhaps we should." Chambers considers that, and then he grins in a way that sends chills down my spine. "Have you heard of Eldin College?"

"Kakariko City, yes? I'm aware of it."

"Good, good. I will be at the college until tomorrow while I deal with some business of mine. Come by, and we'll talk. Who knows? Perhaps we're like-minded enough to join forces."

"Perhaps we are." Vael gives Chambers a deep, ornate bow. "Then we shall talk later."

"Yes, we shall." Chambers keeps staring.

Vael raises one hand and snaps his fingers. The magic shatters, crumbling into glittering clouds of chalk dust and patches of vibrating air. The darkness and the hum vanish. The sudden change from warm magic to cold winter canyon air is enough to make me dizzy; I nearly fall over.

Vael falls to his knees and then forward onto his hands, gasping for breath. From what I can see, he looks _exhausted_.

The others are all away from the circle, looking tired but all right. The fires are sputtering and dying. Everyone's eyes are on Vael. Kafei has his knife out, ready to attack.

For a moment, nothing moves.

"We should get inside," Byrne says. "We can talk where it's warm."

"No one is going anywhere until I get an explanation," Kafei snaps.

Vael groans and works himself around so he can sit. "I would say I was bluffing, but I already know you won't believe me."

"Eh, we don't all have swords up our asses." Byrne chuckles. "Damned nice bluffing, if you ask me. Remind me to never gamble against you."

"Yes, that was rather impressive. You shielded all of us with your magic. And to maintain the shield and the tracking at the same time... That's quite a difficult feat." Impaz sounds impressed. "You must be exhausted after that."

Vael just shakes his head. "I'll be fine. I must have more of my old power than I thought I did." He sighs. "What do we do now?"

"Just what is this business Chambers has at Eldin?" Shad wraps his arms around himself. "Professor Sahasrahla is there. He might be in trouble."

"Assuming he's not working with Chambers," Dark says, helping the princess to her feet.

I can't believe that. "Why would he be? No, I think he's just there to get something, and that means everyone else there is in danger. We already know he doesn't care how many people die!"

"Link..."

"I'm going. Tonight."

"Link, that's dangerous!" Vael staggers to his feet. "If he sees someone who isn't me, he's going to realize I was just bluffing. We need a plan."

Byrne punches one hand with the other. "All right, we can assume this is a hostage situation, or that it's going to be soon. We need a small group, and we need people who can sneak."

"The rest of us will head into town and stay at my place," Kafei says. "It'll be safer, at least until the magic fades."

"In town? Don't you think you need to go farther?" I ask.

"You know where Chambers is. Doesn't that mean you can end this? We'll make plans for another move later, if we have to. For now, all I care about is getting the princess away from this cabin."

Mercykeen. I don't dare take it with me, but... "Impaz, can I ask you to do something for me? The sword in my room; will you take it with you and keep an eye on it for me?"

Impaz nods. "Of course, I will. We'll have it for you when you're ready for it."

"So then, we're all moving," Dark laughs. "Who goes where? I'm up for the college. We all know I can be as stealthy as I need to be."

"College for me," Byrne says.

"I already said I'm going," I repeat, nodding my head.

Vael sighs. "We have a problem, then. Byrne and Dark can go in the back while I go in the front, but what about you, Link? You can't keep up with them."

No, I can't. They're a lot more stealthy than I can be. But I can't just wait outside, not now! "I'll go in with you."

"No."

"What if I have a disguise?"

"I don't have the skill for that, Link. It would have to be something small if you plan on going in with me. You'd have to be able to hide behind my hair." Vael crosses his arms. "Maybe you shouldn't go."

"I've got the Master Sword; I have to go!"

"Then how are you going to disguise yourself?"

I look around. Everyone's too tired for a spell that powerful after that. I think Dark and I are the only two with any magical skill at all who didn't help with the circle, but I know Dark doesn't know anything that could help. Why would he need to? He can just step into the shadows anytime he wants.

As for me... I have to know something. One of the heroes who came before has to have something I can use! But no, everything I can think of is something dependent on a tool I don't have. Damn it, there has to be _something_.

"Maybe you should ask the Great Fairy," Dark says. "She might know something."

The Great Fairy knows powerful magic. Maybe some of that power can help me...

I'm getting so tired of seeing doors. Doors here and there, and never enough keys. I set my candle down and try to peer through the keyhole, debating if I want to use my last key to open this one. All I can see is a platform and... is that a pair of boots?

The boots look important, but if this is another platform with treasure on it, it's a dead end. I don't want to use my last key on a dead end. I sigh. I guess I'll just have to use that weird spell again. I murmur the magic word and change. It takes a moment to get used to flying, just like always, but once I am, it doesn't take long to fly through the keyhole -

"Link! Wake up!"

I groan and look up at Dark and Vael. When did I fall? "What happened?"

"You started staring off into space, and then you fell over." Dark doesn't sound that pleased. "Do you need a break?"

"No, no... I was just remembering something." I climb to my feet, thinking. It's a weird spell, one I remember not really wanting to use even when I had to use it, but it should be just what we need. This way, I can go with Vael to see Chambers, so long as I have the strength to cast the spell.

And I have to go there, because I have to put an end to whatever Chambers has planned. I _have_ to.

"What did you remember?" Dark asks.

"Link, are you sure you're all right?" Vael gives me an odd look.

I look at them, at Dark and Vael and Byrne, and then I grin. It's crazy, but it's a plan. And from what I can remember of the other heroes, crazy plans are as much a part of being a hero as wielding a sacred blade.

"Link?"

"Vael, how would you feel about having a fairy on your shoulder?"


	20. Duel of the Twin Masters

_Author's notes: Thanks for the reviews, everyone. :) And to answer a question I was asked, I'll be writing about _Skyward Sword_ soon enough. I like it too much to not write for it. As for this chapter, I regret nothing.  
_

* * *

**Duel of the Twin Masters**

We barely make it to campus before the last of the twilight fades. It would've been faster to teleport, but even after sitting behind me on my bike doing nothing for most of an hour, Vael seems a little tired. I think that tracking spell took more out of him than he's willing to admit.

That said, I'm more worried about the spell itself. Just how powerful _is_ he? I know Vael's got some skill, but that... I don't know how he was able to do that at all; he should've passed out from the strain.

But he didn't. He's still awake and coherent and riding behind me as if he didn't do much of anything at all. He should be more tired than this. Is he hiding it that well, or is he just that strong? I'm not sure which option is more worrying.

I remember Vaati being pretty powerful, but he was also overconfident, easily angered, and definitely lacking in skill. Vael, on the other hand...

I try to put that out of my head as I ease to a halt next to one of the buildings. I'd like to get closer to the history building, but there have to be monsters around here and really, it's a miracle we haven't already found some.

Vael climbs off Epona and lets the ends of his robe fall. He seems lost in thought.

Dark pulls up beside me and shuts his bike down. Byrne climbs off and stretches lazily. Neither of them act like this is as serious as it is. They're acting like they're out on a joyride. I'm glad they can relax. I feel like I'm going to be _sick_. The Master Sword is heavy against my back, heavy enough that it's almost too much for me. I'm not sure how much of that is in my head.

I don't know if I can do this.

Did the other heroes feel like this right before they faced Ganon? Maybe they did. I want to run. I want to get on Epona and speed away and not look back. And yet, somehow, my legs are steady under me. Is this because of the Triforce, or is it something about me? I shouldn't be this brave...

"So. We find the building guarded by monsters, and that's our target. Shadow-boy and I slip in the back while you two go in the front. We'll do what we can to rescue the hostages and clear a path out, and you two..." Byrne's voice trails off.

"I'm going to attempt to get information out of Chambers. Failing that, I aim to do as much damage as I can."

Dark laughs, but it's a cold laugh. "And then Link seals the deal with the Master Sword."

Can I? I'm not so sure I can. It's Chambers. He may have turned into some kind of crazed evil madman, but he was nice, once. He was my mentor back when I first joined the Project. Was he hiding this the whole time, or did something happen? What if he's possessed? I don't want to kill an innocent man...

"Link, are you all right?"

"I'm all right." No, I'm not, but I don't want them to worry. There's enough to keep in mind without worrying about me. "I'm just nervous."

Vael sighs from nearby. "I can't blame you. This is going to be very risky. Are you sure you want to go in with me?"

"I'm going." I need to hear this with my own ears, see it with my own eyes. Maybe if I can see that he's not the man I knew a year ago, then I can bring myself to do what I need to do for Hyrule.

Vael shakes his head. "All right, then. I won't stop you. I'm going to need you to stay close."

"So I stay hidden, right?"

"That's one reason. The other reason is that I need you to stay close enough that I can hide your magic and the Master Sword's with my own. Otherwise, he might catch on that you're there." He sighs. "At some point, I'm going to have to break the spell on you."

Of course. If I'm supposed to fight Chambers, then I can't do it as a fairy. I have to do it as a human. "It won't hurt, will it?"

He thinks about that, tapping one finger against his other arm. "It shouldn't. I should be able to dispel it without too much effort. I don't see why it would hurt. It doesn't hurt to transform, does it? Going the other way shouldn't be any different."

Dark and Byrne look at each other and nod. "All right; we'll leave you two to your last minute plans," Dark says. "Don't do anything stupid, Link. You either, Vael, but especially you, Link." He steps in close and kisses me. "Remember what we promised, okay? We'll catch up inside."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. He just kissed me in front of Vael and Byrne? I don't know if I like that. It feels too final.

"Good luck, you two," Byrne says as they head off, disappearing into the shadows of the buildings.

"Should we get going?" Vael asks. His voice is soft, and he's not quite looking at me.

And I remember that night a year ago, when we shared a bed during that ice storm, when we kissed, when we were more than friends, at least for a night. I sigh. I should say something, shouldn't I?

"Vael, I..."

"Yes?" He turns to look at me, then. It's kind of hard to believe, really, that in another life, he and I were facing each other from opposite sides of a battlefield.

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to regret this if I live to see tomorrow morning, but this evening I don't care. I'm not losing this chance, either. I take a deep breath. This seems so weird, considering what Dark and I did earlier, but... Nothing says I have to love just one person, right? Nothing says I _have_ to choose. Can't I be selfish, just for this one thing?

I kiss him. It takes him a moment, but he kisses me back.

"This is sudden," he says when we pull away; he looks pleased with himself.

"This is _all_ sudden."

"I thought we were going to pretend that night didn't happen?"

We were, yes. "It's been a long year. I changed my mind."

He shakes his head and smiles at me. "I can live with that."

I grin back. I'm not sure how I'll explain this to Dark, but I'll figure that out tomorrow. Tonight, I think I feel better getting all of this off my chest. I love Dark; I love Vael. Nothing else makes sense, especially not how this battle's going to go, but I know that much at least.

If nothing else, if I do die tonight, the two biggest possible regrets are gone. That thought doesn't ease the weight of the Master Sword against my back in the slightest. There's still so much to do, so much to protect. There's still so much that can be lost. Hyrule's still in danger, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to do what I need to do.

That isn't going to stop me from trying.

"Are you all right, Link?"

"I'm nervous."

Vael nods at me. His smile's fading, being replaced with a much more serious look. "I don't blame you. I'm nervous, too. To think, this time there's a showdown with an evil mage, and it's not me."

"Not you right now," I say, trying to keep my tone joking.

He smirks faintly at that; it's a weird expression to see on his face. Or maybe the friendly, concerned expression is the weird one. I can't really decide. "I suppose we'll just have to see, won't we?" he says softly. "I don't think I have half the delusions of power he must have."

"I don't think you do, either." And he doesn't. All of the power he has, and yet, he's staying here and helping us. He could do this alone, probably, and yet he doesn't. There has to be a reason.

"We should probably get moving."

"You're right." The longer we stand around, the more likely it is some Moblin or something will wander by and see us, and if I get seen now, the plan fails before it really starts.

Vael nods and brushes his hair back from his face. It makes him look a bit older, a bit more dangerous, and a bit more arrogant. I look at him and shiver.

"What is it?"

"Just remembering a long time ago. You... you had horns and that third eye, and then you turned into that giant flying eye."

"Ah, that." He sighs and smiles wryly. "I'm not sure I can still change like that."

"Maybe you should if you can. It's creepy, so maybe you can at least unnerve Chambers a bit."

He laughs at that; it's cocky. "I think I'll keep that in mind, then. It might give us an edge."

I nod at that. I don't want to see him like that ever again, but we need every edge we can get, so... I'll just have to deal with it. He's on my side now. Why can't I completely convince myself of that?

I shake my head. I can't worry about that now. I need to remember the word for the fairy spell. It takes me three tries to get the spell right. Somehow this figures; the one spell from my past I actually plan to use is the one I can't really remember. But I do get it right, finally, and manage to get into the air without falling on my face in the process.

Vael simply raises one eyebrow. "I can't say I've ever seen a fairy look like you."

I fly over near his ear so I can talk without screaming. Wow, I don't remember flying being this tricky. "If I remember right, I look like the fairies from when I learned this."

Assuming I did it right, but I don't care. I'm a fairy right now, which means I can hide behind Vael's hair, which means I can slip in. The details are just details. Still, why is what I can see of my hair _red_? I don't remember it changing color before.

The Master Sword hums against my back as I land on Vael's shoulder and find a place to hide on the back of his shoulder. My sword feels off, somehow. I don't know why. Maybe it's something about the fairy spell or something about being so close to Vael and his unusual magic. It could be a reaction to the not-completely-good magic he's got now; I bet that's it. I hope it's nothing that'll cause problems later.

"Are you ready for this, Link?" Vael's keeping his voice soft.

I don't really have time to worry about that now. "Let's go."

"Very well. Here goes."

Vael starts walking towards the history building. It doesn't take long before the building and the monsters guarding it come into view; at the sight of the Moblins, Vael stands a little straighter and starts walking a little more purposefully. It's kind of creepy.

He walks up to the door and seems to size up the two Moblins; his shoulder tenses underneath my bare feet. "Let me pass."

They look at each other and then back at him, and then they start grunting.

"I said let me pass. I have business with your master."

They keep grunting, seemingly more to each other than anything else, and Vael growls low in his throat. "I said let me _pass_!"

They stop at that, turning to him and raising their weapons.

"Very well, then," he growls, holding up one hand. "If I must kill you, I will."

They start to attack, but then they stop and quickly back away, giving him room to walk between them. What made them change their minds? Is it something about Vael I just can't see from here? I can't see his face, so I don't know.

Vael doesn't seem as bothered by the change; he just walks smoothly between them and into the building. Inside, there's a man. I don't know him, and there's something eerie about his vacant expression. He gestures for Vael to follow him, and Vael does.

I remember this building. This is the history building. I know this place. For several years, this was my second home. I still remember who worked in each of the little offices and who taught which class in which classroom. We're heading to the main conference room.

I should've expected this. Garrimed was here for that meeting tonight, but then Chambers showed up, and now all bets are off. I hope no one's hurt.

We reach the conference room doors, and the man opens one, gesturing for Vael to enter. I take a deep breath as Vael goes inside. The room's empty, all of the tables pushed aside and chairs stacked neatly along the walls, except for one chair sitting on the dais next to the lectern. Chambers is sitting on the chair, speaking to a group of monsters standing in front of him.

My heart sinks. It _is _Chambers, looking like he always has. I can almost pretend that he's talking to a group of us at the Project, except it's kind of hard to overlook a bunch of Moblins. He really is doing this. All of this.

All I can think about is the museum in ruins and the men desecrated my former grave and all of the people who've been hurt or killed, and I have to tighten my grip on Vael's collar until my knuckles go white to keep from throwing myself right at him. He has to pay. All of this - all of this destruction, this pain, this death - is because of _him_.

He looks towards us and grins dangerously. "Ah, Ziota, I see you made it. It didn't take you long to get here... Were you close?"

"It's easier to travel than track," Vael replies, simply.

Good, I think. Don't tell him a damned thing.

"I see. You don't trust me enough to say yet." Chambers chuckles and waves the monsters away; they walk to the edges of the room to stand along the walls. "I expected as much. You've proven that you're quite cunning, though I managed to overlook you until your little stunt earlier."

"I prefer to make others underestimate me," Vael says, crossing his arms. "It makes things simpler."

"I must admit, Ziota, that there's one thing I have always wondered. It seems to make some sense now, but it almost kept me from accepting you into the Project. That would've been such a shame; I realize that now." He smirks. "Will you humor me?"

Vael shrugs. "You can ask your question. I may or may not answer, but I'll listen."

"Why is there absolutely no record of you earlier than when you started university? I did some checking on you when you joined the Project - I singlehandedly chose each of you myself, remember - and there's no trace whatsoever of anyone with even a fraction of your talent anywhere in Hyrule, let alone in the New Kasuto area. It's almost as if you appeared out of nowhere to start your university courses. Your academic record is interesting, as well."

Vael tenses underneath me, but he keeps his voice calm. "Is it now?"

"Yes, it is. I remember how much it surprised me when I first learned that you spent your first year at NKU taking nothing but remedial courses. I'm sure you see how odd that is considering the rest of your record. That the very same person who graduates with highest honors on both sides of a double major, the person accepted into the most prestigious magical studies program in the kingdom for his Master's work, spent his entire first year doing nothing but playing catch-up is… strange."

That is weird, but it makes sense. Vael isn't from here, so he didn't know the things first years are supposed to know. He had to catch up, but once he was caught up… Highest honors on a double major… Thrice, I knew the part about Northcastle Academy, but a double major? With highest honors? How did he manage that? I'm still not sure how I managed my highest honors, and I just had one major!

Vael just shrugs leisurely, though his shoulders are still tense. "It doesn't particularly matter, does it? If you had any real doubts about me or my skill, you should've brought them up well before now. I don't see the point in trying to explain any of it tonight."

Chambers narrows his eyes slightly. Not much, but I notice. "You're fortunate you're so skilled. If not for that, I might have pursued my suspicious further. I wonder, how much have you gotten away with because of your skill?"

Vael chuckles and smirks. "Perhaps you should've. It's far too late now, wouldn't you say? At any rate…" his voice drops just a bit, getting a darker edge, but his voice stays smooth. It's incredibly creepy to hear after being used to his usual half-hesitant, soft tone of voice. He doesn't even sound like the Vaati I remember from so long ago. That Vaati was arrogant and pompous and easily angered; he sounded like someone on a power trip, fittingly enough.

But this… Vael sounds too calm and yet too dangerous. It's like when Dark starts bragging, in a way; he's being arrogant, but it's the kind of arrogance born of truth. I have to wonder yet again if this really is the Vael I know, or if this is somehow one massive trap.

"I didn't agree to meet you here," Vael continues, "just so you can flaunt your knowledge of my past. I agreed to meet with you so we could speak of a potential alliance."

"That we did. I merely want to start our negotiation by letting you know just how little you have hidden from me."

Vael laughs at that, long and loud and incredibly cocky. "You think that those are all of my secrets? You give me so little credit, Professor. I'd be insulted if I didn't expect you to be so stupid."

Chambers bristles, scowling mightily down at us. "Stupid? Me? I'll have Hyrule in the palm of my hand soon enough. I'm smarter than anyone who's come before."

"And what will you do with Hyrule when you have her?"

"You of all people should know about the cycles, the hero and the princess and the evil king. That cycle has trapped Hyrule in stagnation. I'm going to break it. I'm going to seize Hyrule and the Triforce and start a new era!"

Vael crosses his arms, a subtle, flowing motion that barely even shifts the fabric I'm sitting on. This is going to end badly, I decide. Every time something went odd, every time Dark or I tried to break the cycle or do it differently, it ended in pain. The cycle won't break. I'm not sure why, but it won't. Something refuses to let it.

"This is stagnation?" Vael says. "I can think of several things this is, but stagnant isn't one of them."

"Oh?"

"Depending on how you view the past, we're either still growing or we're fading. There is motion here."

Chambers sighs heavily. "And what of this change? Even now, we cling to the errors of the place, letting some hero rise up and strike down anyone who dares try to change a thing!"

Vael shrugs, again acting far more nonchalant than he is. "And how do you plan to change that?"

"I've crowned my own hero and given him the sacred blade the heroes use! Let's see Hyrule's chosen hero win against my champion." He laughs. "Garrimed, come here!"

Garrimed walks into the room. It's him, the monster of a man I know as a weapons master and military historian, his face set in a grim line and an empty stare. There's a sword on his back, one that I know. It's the Master Sword. Not the one on my back, but the other one, the one I left buried in a statue's head at the bottom of the waves… How is it here?

And what did Chambers do to it? The part I see is terrible, tarnished and faded.

"This," Chambers says with a broad smirk, "is my champion. What do you think?"

Vael chuckles again, flexing his fingers. Is he up to something? "Honestly, I don't think your champion is that much of a real swordsman."

"At least I can hold this sword!" Garrimed snaps almost mechanically, drawing his blade. The blade is pitted and tarnished almost beyond recognition, and it glows with a sickly yellow light that makes Garrimed look almost inhuman.

In the back of my mind, somewhere, a woman screams, and I have to fight off a memory I don't have time for now. It feels wrong. Even from on Vael's shoulder across the room, I can sense it, a nauseating sense of _defilement_ that pours off of what remains of the blade.

"Careful, Garrimed," Vael says, his tone mocking. "For a sacred sword, that one certainly looks fragile."

"It'll do its job."

"Perhaps." He rocks his weight from side to side, still flexing his fingers. Vael _is_ up to something; I know it. I just don't know what or why.

I don't really like this. I feel even more powerless than normal.

"I must admit that I'm curious. If you've got your champion and your supposed sacred blade, what use do you have for me? It seems I wasted my time coming here."

Chambers laughs evilly. "There is one reason I need you, Ziota. If you can track me, then you can track the others, the brats. A hero and a princess, both hiding somewhere around here. Surely a man of your considerable talent can find them for me."

"So you can reclaim the Triforce." Vael makes a noncommittal noise low in his throat. "And what's to stop me from simply killing them myself and seizing their power for myself?"

"If you do that, I will kill you."

"You're welcome to try." Vael's voice changes, the calm tone becoming harsh and gaining an edge sharp enough to cut someone. "Better men than you have tried and failed. Besides, if you can't find _them_, what makes you think you can find _me_?

"But since you seem so convinced that your champion will best Hyrule's… Why not put that to the test? I'll bring Hyrule's hero here, and the two can fight. It should prove amusing, at the very least."

How's he going to pull that off? At the same time… Yes, I think I've heard enough. I still can't believe that the man I trusted so much is behind all of this, but I can't let him do what he wants. Hyrule will suffer. Innocent people will suffer. I have to stop him.

And if that means going through Garrimed, then I guess I really don't have a choice, do I? I don't want to fight them, but… This isn't just about me anymore. It never really has been.

"I'll do it," I say in Vael's ear. "Just say the word."

Vael nods and laughs. "Your silence is your approval, I take it?"

"I am quite interested in watching my champion fight. Yes, summon forth your hero and see who bests who."

"This won't take long." Vael turns around, and then he looks over his shoulder at Chambers, careful to look over the shoulder I'm not hiding on. "I trust that you'll refrain from attacking me while I work? You'd best. This takes a lot of energy, and that much energy is dangerous when uncontrolled."

Chambers seems to pale slightly at that. That's odd. "Oh, don't worry. I want to see the hero with my own eyes. Just be warned that tricks will be punished accordingly."

Vael just laughs again and looks forward. "Fly in front of me," he whispers.

I slide off his shoulder and do that, wondering just what he's got in mind. Can I trust him? Farore, I hope I can.

He starts moving his arms in grand sweeping gestures, energy swirling around him. I just watch him as he does his weird almost-dance, trying not to get lost in the haze of the magic this time. It doesn't entirely work.

The magic vanishes abruptly, and I fall, landing hard on the floor. I'm human again. He just dispelled the fairy spell! I look around, disoriented from the size change.

"I knew it," Chambers says softly from his chair. "I knew you knew more than you'd admit."

I stagger up to my feet and glare at him. "What do you want?"

"To be honest? Link Masters, I want you dead. Garrimed, kill him and destroy the blade he carries."

I draw the Master Sword, watching Garrimed as he slowly approaches. Beside me, Vael simply raises a hand, flexes his fingers in a way that has to be deliberate – and then he snaps his arm out in a wide arc and yells something I can't make out.

Garrimed goes flying, that sallow blade skittering across the floor as he hits the wall with a grunt. Chambers yells as he, too, is hit; the force of the blast sends him straight to the wall, shattering his chair and the lectern in a cloud of splintered wood.

I give Vael a nervous look. I didn't even sense the magic until he'd already fired the blast. "Just how powerful are you?" I have to ask, my voice soft.

He looks at me. He's determined and angry, but I think he's afraid, too. I just don't know if it's because of Chambers or Garrimed or himself or what. "I don't know, Link. I don't know."

Chambers roars; the air crackles. I barely have time to see the ball of lightning speeding towards us, but Vael holds up one hand and catches it.

"Is this the best the Triforce of Power can do?" Vael says, clearly unimpressed. He yells and hurls it back.

Chambers laughs at that and snaps his fingers; the ball vanishes. He holds up his hand, and a glowing Triforce appears on it; the top is the brightest. But I thought Vael couldn't track the Triforce! What is this?

"Oh, no," Chambers says, clearly pleased, "I assure you the Triforce can do so much _more_. And since you seem to want a demonstration, Ziota…" The air starts crackling again.

Garrimed calls my name, pointing his sword at me. "You know I'm the better. Bow, and maybe I'll let you live."

I tighten my grip on the Master Sword. I can do this. I have to do this. "I don't care, Garrimed. We're going to settle this like swordsmen."

"All right. Just remember that I gave you the chance." He rushes me, but I manage to get out of the way and try to counter. I miss; he's moving too fast, and my swing's too slow.

There's a loud _pow_ and a _crack_ and a yell; I'm not sure who it is.

I grit my teeth and ready my sword. He turns around and does the same, but something about the way he moves and talks is mechanical, almost like a puppet. Is he being controlled? Chambers can do that; he managed to give Vael that compulsion, and if he can give someone like _Vael _a compulsion, then how easy would it be to hit someone with no real magical training?

Garrimed watches me, looking for an opening. I don't dare attack, so I try not to present any weakness for him to target. How am I supposed to win against someone so much stronger?

Something crackles, and then I hear something hit a wall hard, followed by a cocky laugh.

He charges again, and I can't get out of the way in time. I hold my sword up and brace myself. It's a hard hit, one that almost knocks me backwards, but I manage to push back hard enough and in just the right direction to deflect the blade to the right.

He moves with his blade, looping it around from where I deflected it to bring it up for another attack. I leap to the side, hearing the blade slice through the air next to my head, and swing wildly in the direction I know he just was.

I hear him hiss, but then something slams into my shoulder and off. I stagger backwards. He hit me, but somehow... my jacket's armored in the shoulders; Dark said that. I never thought riding armor would help for something like this. Garrimed growls as we face each other again. I caught him on the left forearm; he's bleeding from a shallow cut.

"Garrimed, stop this! We don't have to fight!" I yell. I know I can't talk him down, but if I can just crack that control, even a little...

He responds by lunging at me. I yelp and manage to dodge enough that the blade only just catches my side. It still hurts, but it's just a graze instead of a stab, so I'm okay. For now.

I growl. I wish I could tell if I was getting through to him or not, but I couldn't really tell with Vael either until... Is this like Vael? Is there that darkness I need to burn away? I should test that.

Someone - Vael, I think - roars words, followed by a howl and a scream. There's a lot of magic flying; it's numbing my magic sense.

Garrimed rushes me again, and I move to block. As soon as the blades clash, I command my sword to flare its power. There's a flash of light - not much of one, but I'm only trying to test something, not actually burn anything away yet - and for a moment, the grim look on Garrimed's face turns confused. Just as quickly, he's back to dangerous. So there _is_ control involved here. Then if I can break it, maybe this can end without any more bloodshed.

Of course, the trick's going to be breaking the control. I had to _tackle_ Vael with the Master Sword, and he was distracted and weak from chasing me through the canyon. I'm stronger than he is, too, at least physically. Garrimed, on the other hand, is a lot stronger than me, and I don't have any way to wear him down without wearing myself down as well.

I don't have the endurance for this. In a battle of strength, I lose. In a battle of stamina, I lose. In a battle of skill, I _lose_. This isn't good; what am I supposed to do? All I can hope is to outsmart him, but I'm not sure how much of his own cunning he's got. Vael had his full wits, and Garrimed's not exactly stupid.

I hear my name, somewhere, and snap out of my thoughts, just in time to leap out of the way of that blade again. Damn it; I'm getting distracted! I can't do that now!

I ready my blade again. Something's weird. Garrimed normally isn't the kind to rush at his target. I would know; I've sparred with him before and lost. He normally looks for gaps, but this... Maybe his mind isn't as awake and coherent as I think it is.

Somewhere in the distance there's an explosion of magic; the building shakes. A bit of dust falls from the ceiling, and I glance up at the ceiling tiles and wonder just how sturdy this building is. I haven't heard much, but from what I do hear, Vael and Chambers aren't exactly keeping the building around us all in mind...

Garrimed throws himself at me again; this time, I can't get out of the way in time. His blade catches my right side, sinking through my jacket and jabbing my side. I hiss; Farore, that hurts! I know I'm bleeding, but I don't know how much of what he caught was jacket and how much was skin. I put my hand on the spot and press. It's not long before my hand's sticky with blood, and I don't think I'm slowing the bleeding much.

He laughs. "As always, I'm the better. Will you kneel to me, _hero_?"

I grit my teeth. "Never!"

"You should reconsider. I'll lower my sword when you kneel before me."

He'll probably lower it through my neck, I think darkly. After all, Chambers wants me dead, and if Chambers is controlling Garrimed, then _Garrimed_ wants me dead, too.

I need a plan, any plan. I can't take him in a fight, but I've got to break that control before he kills me! I just need to distract him, make him drop his guard.

Wait. I've got an idea. It's risky, but it's the only idea I've got.

I hear another explosion; judging by how long and loud it is, it must've taken out a wall. The ceiling shakes again, and one of the tiles falls to crack in two when it bounces off the dais.

Garrimed scowls at what's left of the tile. "If all he wanted to do was destroy the building, he could've just said so."

Another explosion follows that one. This one is punctuated by a loud scream.

I swallow hard. One chance, that's really all I've got. I force myself to take a deep breath and to lower my sword, and then I force myself to take a step towards Garrimed and go down one knee.

"Is this what you wanted, Garrimed?"

He looks down at me and laughs. "Look at this! You're actually _bowing_! If only the professor could see this..."

Let him laugh, I tell myself. Let him enjoy the sight, because I just need to wait for the next explosion of magic...

There! Howling wind tears through a wall with a massive rumbling _crash_, and Chambers yells. Garrimed turns towards the sound, and I lunge, commanding the Master Sword to flare.

Garrimed screams, and the air vibrates mightily around me. More, more; burn it out! He backs away from me and snarls, and for a moment, in the glow of my sword, he doesn't even look human. His dark eyes look like they're glowing, his red hair looks like fire, and his skin looks pale and discolored.

I stagger backward, losing my grip on my magic; the Master Sword sputters and the power fades. What the? That didn't happen with Vael; is this something different?

"So, _that's_ how you want to play..." Garrimed roars and lunges again; I barely manage to block. His blade starts glowing the second the two swords meet, and weirdly, Garrimed looks more human in that sickly, sallow light than he did in the Master Sword's blue-white. This can't be right. This _can't_ be _right_! What's going on here?

The Master Sword and the Triforce of Courage... They brought Vael back. They tamed _Vaati_, so surely if they can do that, they can break a simple spell... right?

Farore, what am I missing?

Garrimed laughs and starts walking towards me; I take a step backward for every one he takes forward. No, this isn't how this is supposed to be going!

"Wake up, Garrimed! You don't have to _do this_!"

"Yes, I do. Professor Chambers wants your head, and that's exactly what I'll give him."

My left hand goes numb, and somehow, I find the strength to run, away from Garrimed and towards the far wall. I get halfway there before the wall explodes inwards into a pile of rubble. Vael crashes to the floor, throwing his hands up to cover his face.

"Vael!"

He groans and hauls himself up to his feet. He's cut in several places, and one sleeve of his robe looks singed. Where's Chambers?

"Vael, are you all right?"

He looks over at me. Wow, he looks tired. How much longer is he going to be able to keep fighting? "Chambers looks worse than I do."

I hear a growl behind me and dive to the side; a blade slices through the air where my head just was. Garrimed curses and growls again. I swing my sword out towards the sound, praying I can block or deflect or _anything_ to get that blade away from me.

I see a flash of purple move towards me; is that Vael?

"_Strike!_"

Garrimed cries out as something slams into him and sends him flying back across the room.

"Link, can you stand?"

"I'm not that tired," I mutter, letting Vael pull me up to my feet. "Where's Chambers?"

"I'm not sure. I thought he'd follow me, but maybe he thinks I'm more hurt than I am."

I hear a couple of yells then, followed by a crackle, and then "Thrice damn it, _run _if you want to live!"

That's Dark's voice! "He found the others!" I gasp. Are they all right? Dark should be able to handle himself, but what about Byrne? What about the hostages?

"Just run!" Byrne yells above several others voices as several men and women run through the hole in the wall and into the room, clustering around Vael and me. Byrne follows them through the hole.

"This isn't exactly how I planned to meet back up," he says dryly.

Vael says something to him, but I don't hear it. I'm too distracted. "Professor Sahasrahla!"

He's alive! He looks exhausted and overwhelmed, but he's alive! He turns to me. "Link, is that you?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Do you have any idea what's going on here?"

I sigh. "I'll explain later, Professor. Right now, we've got to get out of here." Where's Garrimed? I can't see him, but he can't just disappear, right? Has he pulled back because of the others?

"Right," Byrne says, looking around warily. "Talk later; right now... get ready to make a break for it."

Where'd the monsters go? I remember there being monsters around the edge of the room. They're gone, and Garrimed's gone, and I don't hear Chambers...

"You sure you know a way out?" Dark forces out, staggering into the room. He's not bleeding, but he looks hurt. "Bastard's probably got the doors sealed."

"We can leave the way we came in," I reply, looking around again for Chambers. "If the doors are sealed, Vael can blast them open."

"So quick to volunteer me," Vael says with a chuckle. "Very well. Are we all leaving? Someone should stay behind and -" His words cut off with a strained gasp of pain.

I turn towards him; one of the hostages is standing behind him with a knife - one of the hostages just stabbed Vael!

Vael snarls loudly and the knife vanishes. The man behind him makes a choking sound and then starts coughing up blood. The other hostages back quickly away. Professor Sahasrahla is staying close to me.

What is this? People don't just do that! The man wheezes and falls backward, blood still seeping from his mouth. He's not hurt - there's no weapon, no blood except on his face, _nothing_ that marks any kind of wound. And yet he fell over and died, just like that?

"Vael, are you all right?" What am I supposed to do? I can't fight Garrimed; I can't heal that wound; I can't fight a mage head-on. I'm useless.

"I'm… fine…" He doesn't sound fine; he sounds hurt. He looks up at me.

"Link, behind you!"

I whirl around, seeing Garrimed just as he swings that sickly blade at me. Where did he come from? All I can do is swing my blade to block. If he gets the chance, he'll go after Vael. I can't let that happen. I just can't. Even if I can't do anything else, I'm going to stop Garrimed. I don't know how, but I've got to break that control! I command the Master Sword to flare right before the two swords meet.

Our blades collide in a brilliant flash of light. A strange crackling hum fills the air, mostly covering a loud scream; I'm not sure which one of us it is. The blades vibrate against each other as I shove against Garrimed, trying to force him backwards. He keeps pushing back against me, and he's winning.

I grit my teeth and reach down inside me, reaching for the Triforce's power. Farore, please, let this work. I don't want to hurt him. I don't want anyone else to have to die.

The world vanishes beneath a golden glow, and I go numb. For whatever reason, I think of stabbing him, and that thought makes me shiver. No! He's being controlled, right? There's no reason to attack someone who's being magically controlled...

His blade vibrates stronger, stronger than it should by itself. He's got some kind of power himself, something he's feeding through that twisted blade and amplifying. All I can hear is a twisted laugh from some horrible, inhuman throat, and it makes my blood run cold. I need to shove out with all of my power. I know that, somehow.

But I can't.

Flashes of memories from other fights flicker in my head, and I see Ganon over and over and over, always with the Master Sword sticking out of him. His chest, his head, his stomach... No, I won't! I'm not striking down an innocent man; I'm _not_!

Why am I thinking about killing him? Is this the Triforce's doing? If so, what kind of power do I have? I'm not a murderer!

No, I'm going to kick out whatever's controlling him. This is just like with Vael! I yell at the top of my lungs, shoving out with what I've got. Get out of him, magic! Leave him alone!

I suck in a quick breath; it feels like I just got stabbed! The pain's enough that I lose my focus, and the Master Sword quickly stops glowing.

Garrimed just stares at me; he looks completely confused. He stops pushing against my blade as the sallow glow from the other Master Sword fades.

My head reels; something cracks loudly. I start to step away, but as soon as our blades stop touching, the Master Sword – my Master Sword – shatters into a dozen pieces of jagged glittering steel, raining down to the floor.

My mind goes in a dozen directions at once. I try to step back or to the side or maybe even forward, but my foot slips on something rock-sized and I hit my knees hard. I – we – where is this? What's going on?

The swordsman in front of me looks even more confused, saying my name and lowering the tarnished sword in his hand to his side. He says something else, but it's in no language I know.

There are other people screaming my name; I manage to turn my head to look. The room gets more unfamiliar the longer I look at it. The people on the other hand seem vaguely familiar. There's my shadow, and the purple-haired man reminds me of Vaati, and the man with the bulky gauntlet has to be Byrne – they're on my side, right? I think they all were, once…

Ganon. I was fighting Ganon, wasn't I? Why didn't I strike him down? Didn't I get the chance?

I ache all over, and it's really getting hard to think. It's not helping that this keeps reminding me of places I haven't been in lifetimes. I tighten my hand around the hilt of my sword. Wait, didn't my sword just break? I manage to turn my head towards it, staring at where the blade ends in a jagged break just above the pommel. Why did it break? I don't remember ever breaking a sword before…

No, I did. I broke one of my scimitars, once. Saboori said she'd never seen anyone do that. It's dark in here; are we underground?

The swordsman leans over me, still looking confused. He says my name again, and then he asks me where we are. So he doesn't know, either.

Maybe this is all just a trick of Ganon's. I look around for him, but I don't see him.

I _hear_ him. He's laughing, and the laughter is getting closer. I try to turn towards the sound, but I can't. It's getting darker; is he casting a spell?

"And so it ends!" the laughing man says. He sounds triumphant. I finally manage to turn to see him. It's a man in weird clothing - no, aren't those normal? I don't know anymore. He's standing in a hole in a wall, battered but still standing proudly.

What ends? I hear voices, but I don't understand them. How can I understand him?

I stare at him for a moment, trying and failing to figure out who I'm looking at. Someone yells my name, but I don't know who that is, either. I try to stand up, but I'm too shaky, and I can't get all of my mind to agree on how to stand.

I slip, hitting the ground. It keeps getting darker; I can barely see the swordsman staring down at me in shock. I reach up towards him with my free hand, trying to say what I think is his name.

He gets closer. I hear steel cling against steel, like swords clashing but so much smaller, and as I hear it, my entire body goes rigid and my thoughts split more. None of us know what's going on, only that it's getting darker and darker, and it's like we're falling through the floor. Some of us scream, others try to get ready for whatever happens, and one of us is enjoying this.

- and then I'm on something cold and hard and smooth, and for some reason, just being _here_ makes my head clear. I'm no longer trying to think like a dozen different people.

I'm just me. Or at least, I think I am.

Let's see... Link Masters, that's my name. I turned twenty-seven a few months ago, on Winter Night. I was born in Saria Town, but I grew up in Kakariko City with my aunt and my uncle after my parents died. I graduated from Eldin College with top honors for both my Bachelor's and my Master's degrees, the Bachelor's in history with a literature minor and the Master's in legends as history. I'm a historian by trade and a hero by destiny. I'm in love with both my own shadow and a hopefully-reformed villain one of my own past selves struck down more than once in the past.

Okay, that's starting to get kind of silly. I'm pretty sure I know who I am - because really, that's just _too _absurd to be fictional - so now I need to know where I am.

I open my eyes.

I'm in that temple again. The other heroes aren't here, just me and the dais and all of that marble, the building silent as a tomb.

Farore, did I have to put it _that_ way?

Am I dead? I climb slowly, shakily, up to my feet and look around. I hurt. I'm achy and bruised and bleeding here and there. Okay, I'm probably not dead, then. I'm pretty sure death is supposed to be more numb.

I start to walk towards the dais, but I stop when I feel someone watching me. The eyes seem to be near the heavy door, so I turn around and look that direction.

There's a figure standing there, a short one. I start towards him as he starts towards me, and as we get closer to each other, I can recognize him. He's the Link with the ocarina, though he isn't holding it now.

We stop just outside arms' reach of each other. "Do you know where the others are?" I ask.

"They're around," he says, looking up at me with deep, piercing blue eyes. Dark says I always have the same eyes, but are mine really like that? It doesn't even quite feel like I'm looking at a human being - but I'm looking at another me, so what does this mean?

"Why I am here?" I'm going to focus on something I can get an answer for, I think.

"Because you're not ready to be the hero yet."

"What? After everything that's happened and the other time I was here, only _now_ are you telling me that I'm not ready? Will you make up your mind?" I sigh. I think I know where this is going. "Is this because I couldn't bring myself to kill Garrimed?"

He just fixes me with that piercing gaze of his. "No. It's because the Master Sword broke."

_What?_ My breath catches in my throat. It broke? Yes, it did. I remember. I tried to break the magic controlling Garrimed, but then my sword... It cracked. It shattered. It _broke_.

And I have to know. No, I don't want to know, really, but I have to ask anyway. "Why did it break?"

"You're afraid of your own power, Link. You're afraid of your destiny. You're afraid enough that you're going to do something you'll regret that you want it all to go away, to become something it is not, to do things it cannot. Your power reacted to that fear in a way the Master Sword just couldn't handle anymore."

"No, I'm not afraid of it!" I protest. I'm not afraid of it. I'm just afraid of what... I grit my teeth and hang my head. I ruined it. We had one good chance to put an end to all of this, and I just ruined it. And now the Master Sword's broken, so is there even going to be another chance? The others... If I'm here, then I can't help them. They're going to have to deal with Garrimed and Chambers themselves...

And it's _all my fault_.

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage." That's not the same Link speaking. It's someone different, someone older.

When I raise my head, I'm face-to-face with a skeleton in ivy-coated armor. A dangerous, fierce intelligence blazes in the burning red eye not covered by his helmet. I stop breathing again. How'd it get _here_? This place is supposed to be safe, isn't it? I jump backwards, my hand going for a sword I don't have.

The skeleton chuckles. "You have the sense to be wary of me, at least."

"What are you?"

He gives me a piercing look, one that, somehow, feels exactly the same as the one the other Link gave me just a moment ago. "I am the face of regret."

"What do you mean?"

"I died with business still unfinished. And so I lingered, unable to rest, until I was able to accomplish what I felt I need to do. You are not the first hero to see me in this form, though it has been a very long time since I've felt the need to use this form."

This thing is one of the heroes?! Then why does it have some a fearsome form? I don't understand... What does being a skeleton have to do with regret? "How much of this am I controlling? Am I hallucinating you?"

"You still have your sharp mind; this is good. This is no figment of your mind's eye, if that is your worry. You called for aid, thus I have come to aid you."

Then does that mean...? "The first time I was here; was that because of me, as well?"

"Aye, it was. The place where we stand is inside of our soul, Link Masters. Where we stand is the core of the legendary hero's spirit. Our individual pieces radiate outward from this core like rays of light. You are _here_ because you called out to those of us who came before you, and we answered. You came here before for the very reason you are here now. You _willed_ yourself here.

"And so I am here now because you again need my aid."

All of them then, but only one now? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Don't I need more help this time, not less? "Why only you?"

"I am only the first piece of what awaits you in this place. This task will not be a simple one, Historian. We heroes are chosen by the gods because of the spirit we all share. You will come to terms with that spirit and the power it grants, or you shall fail."

I swallow hard; why's my throat so tight? Is it because I know I can't choose to just walk away? "And if I fail?"

"If you fail," another voice says, "then I will ease _my_ regrets by claiming your body as my own and fighting this Chambers in your stead." It's the traitor-hero, standing in the shadows not far from us. He's not in his armor, just a green tunic and black breeches. He doesn't look nearly so imposing when he's not covered in black metal.

"And what happens to me when you do that?"

The traitor-hero just shrugs. "If you fail and you break, then it ceases to matter." He turns to the skeleton and smirks. "I apologize for the intrusion; I thought you might want a little help."

The skeleton chuckles. "Nay, I do not mind. You are the warrior most familiar with that long blade. You can show him what I cannot."

Mercykeen... That's right. With the Master Sword broken, Mercykeen's the only sword I've got left. "But Mercykeen isn't a sacred blade. What good is it going to be to me?"

They look at each other, and then the traitor-hero smirks and the skeleton chuckles.

"You will see soon enough," the skeleton says.

"For now, though," the traitor-hero says, "you need to worry more about your skill with blades in general."

"I don't have time for training!" I need to get back before something happens to the others. I don't have a sword, but I can still -

"You don't yet understand, Historian," the skeleton says, drawing his sword. "We are the chosen heroes of Hyrule. We are inside the hero's soul. Even Time itself must bow before us."


	21. Windstorm

****_Author's note: I still regret nothing._

* * *

**Windstorm**

"And so it ends!" Chambers yells with a grand, cocky cackle. "The grand cycle of heroes and sacred blades ends _tonight_!"

For a long moment, all I can do is stare at where Link lies sprawled out on the floor. My balance is off, and the world feels like it's shaking; it's hard to even stay standing. I can still sense him, a steady, pulsing warmth twined around my soul, so I know he's not dead, but that really doesn't help. I see him laying there like that, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do now.

Garrimed stands over Link, looking confused. He looks at Link and then down at the disgusting sword in his hand and then back down at Link. I should feel sorry for him, probably, but it's hard to give a damn considering what just happened.

"Kill him, Garrimed! Strike him down and end it all!" Chambers roars, still laughing.

Byrne and I start running at the same time. There's no way I'm letting Link die like this! I stumble and land hard on one knee, but I still manage to throw myself over Link to shield him with my body while Byrne tackles Garrimed _hard_ and I hear that damned sword skitter away.

I work a vial of potion out of one pocket and force some of it down Link's throat. Damn it, why are my hands shaking so much? Link doesn't look that hurt - he's a little bruised, and he's bleeding from a few shallow cuts, but that all - and he's still breathing good and steady, but I'm not taking any chances.

He still has the Master Sword's hilt in his hand, but the blade ends just above the pommel in a jagged edge. The blade itself is in no less than a dozen pieces, scattered on the ground near his feet and glinting in the harsh lights of the conference room. It's broken. The Master Sword's never _broken_ before! Is it something about the two blades touching - no, no; that can't be it. If that were so, Garrimed's should've broken, too, and that one's still perfectly intact.

I want to know what Chambers did to it. That's no Master Sword, not anymore.

I pull Link against me with one hand and start grabbing pieces of the Master Sword with my other, shoving the pieces into the shadows of his jacket for safekeeping. I'm not letting that bastard get his hands on this. If we keep the pieces, there's a chance we can fix it, but if Chambers gets the chance to destroy even one piece...

There's a growl behind me; Garrimed and Byrne sound like they're wrestling. I don't really care much. I know Byrne can handle Garrimed, which is why I'm worried about Chambers. I keep grabbing at the pieces of the Master Sword, growling when my vision doubles and I miss one. What is _wrong_ with me?

Does this have something to do with Link passing out?

Chambers is still standing in the hole punched through the wall, his arms crossed. Everything about him is proud and defiant, though the blood on his face and clothing makes him look weaker and mortal.

"Oh, isn't this just so _sweet_? You're trying to protect him. There's no real point to that, now is there? Your precious hero is nothing without his sword. You've lost. All you can do now is prolong the inevitable."

"That's what you think, you _son of a bitch_!" I snap, finally snatching up the last piece of blade and pulling Link tighter against me. It isn't ending this way, not if I have anything to say about this!

Chambers holds a hand up and starts tracing some weird shape in the air. "Don't worry. I'll make this quick."

I see the spark of flames bursting into existence and throw my shield over the two of us, bracing myself for the blast. Crackling flames race towards us -

- and then wind howls and the flames vanish. What?

"You won't hurt them!" Vael snarls; his voice sounds deeper than it should. "I won't let you."

I bite my lip and peer around my shield as Vael staggers up to his feet, one hand clutching his shoulder. His face is tight with pain, but it's not just pain.

"Ah, Ziota," Chambers replies, clearly irritated. "I should've know you'd be too stubborn to die. And to think, we could've worked together..."

Vael snaps his head up at that, opening his eyes. His irises are massive and seem redder than they normally are, and I swear his eyes are glowing. He's _pissed_, so pissed that he looks like he's about to go berserk. That's worrying.

Then again, if Link wasn't unconscious and needing protection, I'd be trying to tear Chambers' throat open with my damned teeth, so we're not that different. But Link's a sitting duck, and I don't know how close I can even get to the bastard without getting blasted by that damned magic.

And that doesn't change the fact that I'm shaky and dizzy, but I'm doing my best to not let the bastard know I'm suddenly so weak.

"Me, join _you_?" Vael laughs, loud and cold and cocky and half-crazy. "Why would _I_ join with a pissant like _you_? You're such a coward that you can't even do your own fighting - you have to have your pathetic little minions do the real fighting!" He snaps his fingers, and the knife he was stabbed with reappears in the air above his hand, completely covered in blood. Vael takes it and holds it up between two long fingers. "Do you honestly think something this pathetic can kill me? You underestimate me, Chambers."

"I'm the one winning here, Ziota. That means that you underestimate _me_."

"Do I?" Vael says simply, laughing again before his voice takes on a very dangerous-sounding edge. "Enough speculation; let's find out which one of us is stronger." He snaps his fingers again, and the knife vanishes. Garrimed yells in pain. I turn to look as he hits one knee, the bloody knife sticking out of his thigh, and then I squeeze one eye shut and grit my teeth as the world lurches again.

"But do me a little _favor_, Chambers," Vael continues, smirking broadly. "Quit holding back. I want to see what power the Triforce has, and you're making it seem like a child's toy."

Chambers cracks his knuckles. "Very well, then. I was _going_ to let you live, but since you insist..." He snaps out his arm, the Triforce on his hand blazing, and hurls a wave of fire at Vael. For a moment, Vael disappears completely behind the flames; I don't even have time to yell a warning.

He's not dead, is he? No, he can't be. Vaati won't die so easily.

Chambers seems to think he is. He laughs loudly in triumph.

He doesn't laugh very long. A blast of something slams him down to the floor, and the flames burst outwards and vanish. Vael stands where the flames were, but he's not really Vael anymore. He's taller now, a good foot taller at the very least, and visibly thinner. A pair of large black leathery wings stretches from his back; the edges are wispy, and it's hard to tell exactly where they end. A large U-shaped pair of horns rises from his forehead, gleaming gold, and his too-long arms end in massive, dangerously sharp gold-tipped talons that stretch out from beneath his flowing sleeves. His robe is tighter, clinging to his chest before flaring out at roughly his waist, snapping back and forth in a breeze that surrounds him; his legs are completely hidden beneath the fabric. He has that eye on his torso again, and it's open. But this time, it's completely inhuman, red on black on red and incredibly piercing.

It's a damned good thing Link's unconscious right now. Vael's barely even human anymore. I just hope he remembers who's who, or this is going to get very ugly very damned fast.

After a long, long moment, Chambers growls. "Do you think _that's_ going to scare me?" He snaps his arm out again and fires another wave of flame.

Vael doesn't flinch. He simply nods his head, and the wave is torn into two by a blast of wind. The two pieces of the wave pass harmlessly to either side of him.

"Even now, you refuse to treat me like a real opponent," Vael says softly, calmly, easily. His voice is deeper than normal, more like what little I remember of the winged eye's voice. I shiver at that, but I'm not sure if I'm cold or just that damned shaky. "Surely, a mage as strong as yourself would enjoy a proper battle."

Chambers narrows his eyes. Is Vael striking a nerve? I hope he is. Chambers growls again, louder, and lashes out with both arms. Fire and lightning rush towards Vael, one from each side.

Vael simply smirks and fades away. Chambers looks around frantically, apparently not noticing when the air right behind him ripples and Vael appears _right behind him_. But Vael doesn't cast a spell or even slash at him with those talons. No, Vael just leans in close and whispers something in Chambers' ear. Chambers jumps and whirls around, trying to cast another spell, but Vael catches his hand in those gleaming talons and just grins broadly, showing a long pair of fangs.

Chambers raises his other hand, but Vael simply fades away again, laughing.

"Stop toying with me, damn it! Are you going to fight me or not?" Chambers snaps.

Vael appears on the dais, his arms down at his sides. I really wish he'd stop teleporting around like that; it's not making the room any more steady. "Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question, Professor? Or did you underestimate me _that _much?" He grins again.

"Who are you? _What_ are you?" Chambers roars, lashing out with another spell.

"Who am I?" Vael laughs loudly at that. "You release my power and don't even know who I am... It's almost ironic." He steps forward - er, well, he moves forward about a step, but he doesn't _move_ like he's walking. He just floats forward and easily dodges whatever spell Chambers just threw at him.

"I suppose I might as well tell you my name. It won't mean anything to you, but I'll tell you anyway." He narrows his eyes - all three of them - and then he flashes his fangs in a broad, hungry grin. "I am _Vaati_!"

Chambers scowls at that. No, don't even waste your time trying to place that, I think; you don't know the name, bastard. I should move, but I'm still shaking, and they look like they're about to start fighting, and I_ really_ don't want a blast of magic coming my way. I'm going to have enough trouble dodging just because of the shaking, but I've got to carry Link, too.

Chambers clears his throat and cracks his knuckles again, glaring daggers at Vael. "I don't care what you call yourself, Ziota. In fact, it won't matter at all in a few minutes. It's such a shame, don't you think? Hyrule will never know the names of the fools who tried to _save_ it." The Triforce on his hand starts glowing again, pulsing rhythmically. "You demand to see my power, and you don't even know what it is you're demanding!"

He raises his fist to better show the glowing Triforce, and I scowl. This isn't quite right. That's the Triforce of Power, all right, but it should be _more_ than it is. Chambers doesn't seem like he's willing to hold much back, so why does the Triforce seem so _weak_? Maybe I'm just that on edge; maybe I'm misremembering. Maybe it's just because I'm so out of it.

I'm not so sure, though. Something's just _off_.

Chambers raises one arm and makes a grandiouse gesture with his hand. Vael lowers his head slightly, watching. I'm not sure if Vael's waiting to counter or what he's doing.

I don't find out. There's a _snap_, and one of the heavy, bulky light fixtures hanging from the ceiling slams into Vael's head just behind his horns; Vael jerks forward and manages to catch himself before he falls. That's when Chambers dashes forward and snaps his arm out with a quick yell.

I yell Vael's name, but it's not enough. Chambers gets close and launches another ball of lightning, one Vael doesn't have time to dodge. He yells and goes rigid as the lightning crackles down his body and up his horns, and then he slumps over, somehow staying upright.

Chambers laughs. "So oblivious..."

Vael just growls. It's a vicious one, deep and way more resonant than it should be coming from a mostly-human throat.

Chambers shakes his head, and then he snaps his fingers and thrusts a finger towards Link and me. I dive back behind my shield, gritting my teeth. Din, let this be something this shield can reflect!

It's not.

I manage to not scream - I'm not giving the bastard the _pleasure_ of hearing it if I can help it - and I think I take the brunt of the blast. I know my vision goes white, and for a moment, I can't feel anything but a painful tingling. Link's still breathing, anyway, though he doesn't wake up. I wish I at least knew why he's unconscious; then I'd have an idea what to do. Maybe.

When I finally stop hearing the lightning crackling around me, I hear Chambers cackling. And then I hear a roar. It sounds like some kind of massive beast, and it sounds pissed. Vael lunges for Chambers talons first, and both of them disappear behind a cloud of dust and lightning. It isn't until I hear something growling and snarling over Chambers' yelling that I realize that the roar I just heard came from _Vael_.

_Din_, he's pissed. He's not even talking anymore; he's just snarling like some kind of animal.

Chambers dashes out through the hole in the wall, disappearing down the hallway. Vael shoots after him with a heavy beat of his wings, roaring again and hurling magic at Chambers' back.

It gets quieter but not really quiet. Chambers is yelling and Vael is roaring and magic keeps crackling and hissing and howling elsewhere in the building. A loud explosion makes the lights shake and a ceiling tile fall.

Shit. I've got to get up. I manage to stagger to my feet and try to pull Link with me, but the room lurches around me again, and I fall over. When I open my eyes, my vision's double again.

This is getting really damned irritating and more than a little worrying. If this is how _I_ feel, then just what happened to _Link_?

"Dark, are you all right?" Byrne.

"Where's Garrimed?" I ask, looking up at the two of him.

He gives me a worried look and a quick shake of his head. "Don't know. I let him go when that knife hit him, and he limped out the door. I didn't really see any point in chasing him."

Damn. "He might know something."

"Nah. As disoriented as he was, I doubt he knows anything. Chambers must've had him controlled. Link broke it, apparently. Besides, you... well." He waves a hand at me.

And knowing Link, he knew full well that he was breaking it. I sigh. We should probably retreat and lick our wounds, but there's no way we're going to be able to tell Vael about that idea. Can I even stand up? I managed once, but...

"What do you think, Byrne? Should we pull back?"

"What do I think about what, what we should do? Honestly, I hate to say it, but I think we're kind of screwed. The Master Sword was our advantage, right?" He sighs heavily. "Well, now we've got no sword and an unconscious hero, you look like you're barely conscious yourself, and oh, right, our mage friend apparently just went battle-crazy or something. Only good thing I see here is that he's going after Chambers." He looks around the room. "We've got company."

We do; there are some monsters standing around the edges of the room. I'm not sure if they were there before, but now they're drawing and readying their weapons and walking towards us. The hostages are clustering around us. Of course they are; none of them are armed.

I feel movement near me and turn to look right as Professor Sahasrahla pulls Link's jacket open and yanks Link's knife out of the inner pocket. Oh, hey, he knows about that?

"What are you doing?" I have to ask.

"You've got a sword," the professor says, nodding at me. "You fight; I'll watch Link."

I don't really know if I like that idea, but he's got a point. I nod at him. He'd better know what he's doing with that knife, or I'm going to kick his ass when I finish with the monsters.

I stand up shakily and draw my sword, giving it a quick twirl. My grip's a little weak, and I almost drop the sword when I twirl it, but I've got to be cocky. I've got to try and intimidate those monsters into running. Thankfully this sword is one I bought for myself and not just a copy of Link's, or I'd be stuck with just my dagger.

Of course, right now, the dagger would be easier to hang onto. "All right, which one of you wants to die first?"

The monsters look back and forth between all of us, and then they charge as a group.

The fight itself goes a bit worse than I'm used to. I take out three of them, but a fourth catches my forearm and my grip picks that moment to finally give out. I can hear Byrne behind me as he beats another pair into unconsciousness, and it turns out the professor _does_ know what he's doing with that knife. I manage to pick up my sword in exchange for hitting one knee, but unfortunately for the monster that charges me, I don't drop it again.

I'm not sure if it's me or Byrne or the professor, but something about our little group strikes the remaining monsters as too dangerous; they turn tail and run. Normally, I'd chase them down, but it takes far more effort than it should just to climb back up to my feet.

"You all right, Dark?"

"I'm standing, aren't I?" Now that our fight's done, I can again hear Vael and Chambers going at it in the distance, snarling and cursing as magic explodes again and again.

Another explosion goes off a lot closer than the others; I go down to one knee again as the ground shakes, but this time, I note with some satisfaction, the professor goes down with me. One of the heavy light fixtures slams into the floor and shatters as a loud _crack _fills the air.

Byrne curses loudly. "The building's not going to be able to take much more of this. We need to get out of here while we still can."

The professor sighs heavily and murmurs something about the building. That's right; this is probably _his_ building.

"I'd give you time to go grab things from your office, but I don't think the mages are going to give us much more," I say, hauling myself back up to my feet.

"It's all right," he says with another sigh. "I'd just appreciate some clue why the head of the Royal History Project is doing this."

I shrug. "Let's get out of here first. We can talk then."

"Right." He kneels next to Link and puts the knife back into the inner pocket of Link's jacket. "Someone needs to carry Link."

"That'll be me," Byrne says. "Don't start, Shadow-boy; you'll need your strength to get yourself out."

"You can lean on me," Professor Sahasrahla says. "I'm not that strong, but I can do a little."

Byrne hefts Link up onto his back and we start walking. I do my best to not lean on the professor, but that's mostly pride. I'm Dark Link, shadow of the hero; I can walk on my own damned feet! The other hostages follow us, prattling on about things I don't really care to hear. They're confused; I get that. But I'm already tired of questions, and honestly, I want them all away from me before someone else produces a knife.

We get most of the way out before I hear another massive roar and the floor shakes hard enough to throw us all to the ground. Something cracks, and something else crumbles; several ceiling tiles and another couple of light fixtures fall around us.

We're running out of time. I'm not sure if I should curse Vael or Chambers or the builders or _who_ right now, but I want to curse someone. The professor helps me back up to my feet, and Byrne stands up with a grunt and shifts Link on his shoulders. Everyone else is gone.

Worthless bastards.

"Why won't you _die_?" Chambers yells from somewhere else in the building. The only response is another roar and yet another explosion.

Byrne starts jogging, and I move as fast as I dare, leaning heavily on the professor's shoulder as I do. Damn my pride; I'm not getting buried!

Byrne hits the door running, slamming it open; the already-cracked window shatters. The professor and I stumble out after him. There's another explosion behind us, and we're followed by a thick cloud of dust.

When the dust clears, we're not alone. There are monster corpses here and there, and not far away are several people. Is that...?

"I thought you were moving, not following us," Byrne says coolly.

"Well, Dearie, we thought you might need some assistance," Anjean replies. "It seems we were right."

"Are you all right?" That's Zelda; she comes over to where we're standing. "Link? Is he -?"

"Unconscious," I say. "He'll live."

Byrne sighs and kneels down, easing Link to the ground. "Hopefully, anyway. We've got a bigger problem. The Master Sword broke."

"It _what_?" Impaz gasps. "I didn't think such a thing was possible!"

I just point at Link's hand, where he's still somehow clutching the Master Sword's hilt. "Apparently a lot of things are possible. No, we don't know how it happened, but it _happened_. Look, I hate to sound ungrateful for the help, but can we just get out of here before Chambers figures out you're here?"

"Where is Vael?" Zelda asks, looking around.

"Like it matters?" Kafei snaps. "Come on, Princess; we should leave while we can."

"No. Where is Vael? Do any of you know?"

Byrne and I sigh and look at each other. "Well, Princess..." Byrne starts.

Anything else he wants to say is drowned out by yet _another _explosion followed by the massive crumbling roar of the building collapsing into a heap of jagged and broken rumble. The professor sighs heavily and sits down.

"I don't believe this..." Shad says, flopping down next to the professor. "It's... This can't be real."

"I hate to break it to you, but it's real." I shake my head. "Chambers and Vael are having a mage fight."

Zelda gasps. "What? Vael was inside that?"

Byrne stretches. "Somewhere, yes."

"We have to find him!"

I turn back to the rubble - slowly so I don't fall over - as some of it shifts and Chambers staggers up out of it. He's battered and beaten and bloody, but somehow, _somehow_, the bastard's still alive and standing. He looks around and sees us, and then he starts staggering towards us with a weak laugh.

"What is this? Is this some kind of divine gift? Everything I want is right here in front of me..."

"Get behind us, Princess!" Kafei snaps, moving to stand between Byrne and me.

I watch Chambers as he walks. He's unsteady, but he's a mage, so I have to assume he's still got the strength for his spells. I think I'd be happier if he had a sword or a bow or a spear or some other weapon. I can deal with weapons. I'm not so good with magic, especially since he really only needs one spell to cause a lot of damage.

I ready my shield, though I already know it's not really any use. It can't handle Triforce-amplified magic, and that's what Chambers is slinging.

"Now, now... There's no need for you to throw your lives away. Bow to me and give me what I want, and I think I'll let you live."

He's lying. He's got to be.

"Stay back!" Kafei snaps, readying a trio of throwing needles. I'm not sure what he think he's going to do with those.

"We will never bow to you!" Zelda says, her tone authoritative.

"Yeah," I add, forcing a smirk that I don't really feel. "Heroes don't bow to villains. Shouldn't _you_ of all people know that?"

Chambers scowls. "So you defy me, even knowing that I can kill you all?"

Byrne laughs. "What can I say? Death just isn't that much of a threat, I guess."

"It seems you underestimate me." Chambers laughs again, louder and cockier. "Then I suppose I'll just have to teach you all what a real threat is!" He makes a grand gesture with his hand and laughs.

Kafei hurls his needles, but Chambers simply waves his other hand in an arc and the needles deflect harmlessly to the side. I grit my teeth. Shit, ranged attacks don't work, and I don't have the strength to charge him. I'm not sure if Kafei and Byrne can take him on, but they'd have to get there first, and I doubt they can run faster than he can cast.

We're screwed.

"It's been fun, heroes, but this ends _now_," Chambers says, practically purring. He starts making another gesture with his hand -

- and the rubble explodes upward and outward as something large flies up out of it. The something is Vael, or, well, whatever of him is still in that battle-crazed horned thing, and he lunges straight for Chambers. He moves fast, almost _too_ fast. Chambers has just enough time to turn towards the sound before Vael clamps one of those massively-taloned hands against the side of his face.

Just enough time for his eyes to widen in shock.

Just enough time to _see it fucking coming_ before Vael roars and fires a blast of wind and magic point blank against his face.

It's a powerful blast, too, strong enough that they both vanish behind another massive cloud of dust and small pieces of debris. Chambers screams frantically in pain, and I have to laugh. I smell blood, a _lot _of blood.

Serves you right, you son of a bitch. Serves you _right_.

Chambers staggers out of the cloud, his hand clamped over the side of his face that just got blasted. From what I can see of his bloody face, I think he just lost that eye, and that's a damned _satisfying_ thought. He mumbles something I can't make out, snaps his free arm out, and vanishes, fading away into the darkness with a final yell.

For a while, none of us speak. Byrne's the one who breaks the silence first. "So he ran."

"I can see why after a wound like that," Anjean replies, walking over to stand by the princess. "He probably retreated to take care of that. We should get out of here before he comes back."

"Yes, we should. First, however..." Zelda points towards the rubble. "Is that... Vael?"

It's Vael, all right, standing near what's left of the building. And for once, he's actually _standing_; I can see one tall leather boot peeking out of his swaying robe. For the moment, he's ignoring us, staring at where Chambers was standing before he vanished.

That doesn't change the fact that Vael's still in that bizarre form. "Yes," Byrne says, sounding tired. "That's Vael."

"That _thing_ is the sorcerer?" Kafei snarls. "I knew it; he's a monster!"

That makes Vael snap his head towards us, his eyes narrow. He growls again, but for the moment, he's just watching us.

"What... What happened?" Zelda gasps. "Why does he look like that?"

"Let's see..." I say with a heavy sigh. "The Master Sword broke, Link passed out, someone decided to stab Vael in the back, Chambers tried to kill Link and me, and, well..." I wave my hand at Vael. "Vael lost his temper. It's just as well, in a way. He's the one who drove Chambers off, remember?"

"And now he's going to _kill us all_!" Kafei snaps. "I'd like you all to know that I never trusted him."

"Duly noted," I mutter. "What good is that now?"

Vael raises one hand and waves it; something pushes Byrne and Kafei to the side. Oh, great, I think darkly. He just cleared a path to Link. He snarls at the sight and starts walking towards us. His gait's shaky and unsteady, but that doesn't really make his horned and taloned figure any less intimidating.

I tighten my grip on my shield and brace myself, but he doesn't attack. He walks up towards us, knocking the others back with another wave of his arm and blast of wind, and he stops beside Link. He kneels down slowly, pausing once to steady himself, and one of those taloned hands reaches down to stroke Link's hair.

What the...? I can see his lips moving, but I don't hear anything. Is he trying to speak? Does that mean he's coming back to his senses?

"Keep your claws off of him, _monster_!" Kafei snarls, drawing his knife.

Vael raises his head and narrows his eyes, snarling something that sounds vaguely like words before snapping his arm out in an arc. Kafei yells as something throws him backwards; somehow he manages to twist in the air and land on his feet. At the same moment, Vael cries out in what I think is shock as his arm shatters into sparkling dust and wind. He staggers back a step, staring down at his now-empty sleeve.

Kafei takes a shaky step forward, readying his knife.

"Damn it, Kafei, this isn't the time for this!" I snap. "Vael, wake up!"

Vael turns towards me at that, snarling and raising his other arm. He reaches out and puts his hand on my head, leaning in close. He smiles and bares his fangs, and then his lips start moving. I can't understand him. He's making noises, little growls and snarls that, like before, sound _kind of _like words, but it's nothing I can recognize. He leans in even closer, close enough I can feel his breath on my face.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"I think he wants to know that you're safe..." That's Zelda's voice. I turn towards her - well, I try - but then the world lurches again, and I stumble.

I don't hit the ground. I hit air, strangely resistant air that holds me above the ground. Well, this is weird. I open my eyes, and Vael's just watching me. He lowers his hand, and the air holding me lowers with it, until I'm laying on the ground.

Byrne walks over and offers me a hand, but as soon as he does, Vael snarls and snaps his arm out, slashing at him.

Byrne jumps back, holding his hands up. "Whoa! Okay, you don't want me getting close. How about you calm down now? See? No one's going to hurt you. You chased off the one bastard trying to kill people."

Vael's not listening. I'm not sure if he's refusing to listen or if he just _can't, _but either way, he's not coming out of whatever trance he's in. Which is a serious problem, I think as I stagger back up to my feet. We've got to try to calm him down before he hurts someone.

Kafei jumps forward, slashing out with his knife. Vael immediately moves to counter, slashing Kafei with his talons as Kafei slashes his arm with the knife. He doesn't bleed, but he does hiss. Kafei, meanwhile, jumps backward with a grunt, his hand pressed against his now-bleeding side. I should worry more about that, but honestly? I've been wanting to hit Kafei for his pathetic attitude ever since I _met_ him, so it's kind of nice to see someone actually smack him one.

Anjean chants something, and Vael snarls and snaps his arm out again. The air crackles and makes a sound like glass shattering, and then his other arm shatters into dust and wind. He cries out again and staggers backward, almost falling to his knees. His robe looks tattered all of a sudden, especially his sleeves; they were long and loose and flowing a moment ago, but now they look like they were ripped off just below his shoulders.

"Does anyone have any idea what's happening?" I snap, raising my shield and peering over the top of it. If I can just get the world to stop for a moment, just long enough to brace myself, I think I'm going to bash him. If I can knock him out, then maybe...

"He's running out of strength!" I think it's Impaz talking. "First the tracking spell earlier, then he shielded us all from Chambers' sight, and now this form he's taken; it's too much too quickly! He must have used all of the strength he had to spare, but he's still using magic, so he's consuming himself to maintain that form! We've got to force him out of it before he does himself permanent damage!"

Vael snarls and lowers his head. That's right; he doesn't have his arms anymore, but he's still got those damned long horns. He could probably kill someone with those if he felt like it.

"Stay back!" I snarl, making sure my shield's ready. "He thinks you're all going to attack him, so he's fighting back. Stay back, and he won't use so much magic." Of course, that's only going to help for so long. Even when he's not hurling magic, it's still got to burn magic just to maintain that form, right? Din damn it all, how much time do we _have _before he starts seriously hurting himself?

Or is it already too late?

The next thing I hear is footsteps approaching. "Damn it, what did I just _say_?" I turn towards the sound, gritting my teeth against the shaking.

It's Zelda. She walks up to stand beside me, looking oddly determined.

"What are you planning, Princess?"

"We have to make him change back, yes?" She holds up her hand; the Triforce of Wisdom glows. "Then one of us has to get through to him."

"It's _dangerous, _Princess!" Kafei yells, moving forward.

Vael snaps his head down in a vicious nod; Kafei yelps as something throws him backwards again. Vael hisses and staggers. The lower edges of his robe look frayed and ragged, and the boot I can see is dull and dried out.

"Damn it, the point is make him use _less_ magic, not more!" I roar, nearly dropping my shield in the process. "If you've got a plan, Princess, do me a favor and _do it_."

Zelda meets my gaze and nods, and then she takes a step towards Vael. He turns towards her, but thankfully, he makes no move to attack. She takes another step, then another, then another. Vael seems to realize that something's up, because he stands a little taller and growls.

She takes one last step forward and puts her hand, Triforce still glowing, on his chest. "Please, Vael, it's all right. You can calm down now."

"Princess, please, get away from him!" Kafei yells.

There's a loud smack as Byrne tackles Kafei to the ground. "Damn it, Kafei!" Byrne roars. "Stop it! If you act hostile, he might attack the princess!"

"I know you're still in there somewhere, Vael," Zelda says; the Triforce glows brighter. "Please, just follow the light and my voice."

Vael growls at that and tries to pull away, but she moves with him. "Vael, please, listen to me!"

Shit, this isn't working, is it? I've got to do something... Wait a minute; I've got an idea. It's a long shot, but it's worth a try.

I move carefully to the side, just far enough that Zelda isn't in the way, trying not to think about how long it takes to move so little. I hold my shield up, aiming it straight at him, being damned careful to aim it so he can see his reflection. Then I whistle loudly. "Vaati! Over here! Your little shadow has something to show you!"

That gets his attention. He turns towards my voice and finds himself staring at his weird form, reflected right back at him. He tenses, and his eyes widen slightly. I start walking slowly towards him. I'd like to walk faster, but if I walk much faster, I'm going to fall.

He takes another step backwards, snarling. Zelda moves with him again, closing her eyes. The Triforce of Wisdom flares its power in a brilliant flash; I duck behind my shield and yell. _Shit_, that's bright, especially outside at night!

Vael _screams_, and the air itself crackles and then bursts outward in a blast of wind. I grit my teeth against the pain and the spinning and force myself to look over my shield. Zelda steps backwards, away from Vael. Vael stands there, staring out at nothing, not moving. He tries to speak again, his mouth forming words I can't hear.

And then he falls to his knees; the horns and talons and wings and extra height and third eye of his strange form all melt away as he falls, leaving him in just his boots, slacks, and that high-collared sleeveless shirt. He's got arms again; they hang limply at his sides.

"Vael!" I yell, rushing towards him as fast as I dare.

He groans softly before his eyes slide closed and he collapses to the ground in a very undignified heap. As soon as I get to him, I drop to my knees. He's unconscious, breathing steadily but shallowly. He's pale, paler than normal even for him, and he's bleeding from several wounds here and there. He looks absolutely terrible.

I work the vial of potion out of my jacket again and coax what's left down Vael's throat. I hope it's enough to at least keep him alive until we can get somewhere better. Then I ease him back to the ground and pull off my jacket. I _really _don't want to take it off because it's damned _cold _out here, but I've got two sweaters on underneath, and his shirt doesn't even have _sleeves_. The jacket's too big for him, but well, it's what happens when a thin sorcerer wears something sized to fit a muscular swordsman.

He looks good in black, but I knew that; his sleeveless shirt is black and dark purple, and his slacks and boots are black. The only problem is that the black of my jacket makes him look even paler, and that makes me worry. I know he's pale, but damn, he shouldn't be _this_ pale. And I won't deny it's easier to see him in my jacket than out of it because now he's got bulky sleeves covering his arms; they're thinner than I remember.

Byrne sighs heavily. "Okay, now that _that_ bit of excitement's been dealt with, does anyone have an idea where to go now? And don't think we can just stay here, because we don't know how hurt Chambers is for certain, and something's going to get attracted to all of this magic. I don't think I really care where we go, just as long as we get moving _now_."

"Impaz and I know of a place," Anjean says with a wry smile. "It's not as comfortable as the princess' safehouse, but it'll suffice as a place to rest."

And we need rest. I'm still feeling shaky, and who knows how long Link and Vael are going to be out. I look around. "I need someone to carry this shield for me."

"I'll get it!" Shad says, jogging over. "It's the least I can do."

"Nah, you've been a huge help." I'm not lying, either. "Here, it might be a little heavy, but I'll sling it across your back."

Shad flinches a little when the shield eases into place. I don't think he's ever worn a shield before.

"You going to be okay?"

"Ah, yes. I'll be fine as long as you don't expect me to use this."

I grin weakly at that. As hilarious as that mental image is... "With any luck, all I need is someone to carry that to our next destination for me." I take a deep breath to steady myself and then kneel down next to Vael.

"Leave him there," Kafei says with a snort.

"We will do no such thing!" Zelda snaps. "We owe him for keeping Link alive. The least we can do is take him with us to rest."

Kafei snarls. "That monster is going to kill us all. I refuse to let him anywhere near you, Princess!"

"Your refusal is noted, Kafei." She shakes her head. "He is coming with us. I command it."

"Here," Professor Sahasrahla says; he's coming my way. "Dark, right? I take it you're going to be carrying Vael, so let me at least help you pick him up."

I appreciate the help. "You're welcome to come with us, too, Professor. Besides, it might be safer to hide away until we figure out what Chambers is up to."

"I suppose I should. You all have my gratitude, especially you, Highness. I just ask that someone explain what's going on to me when we have the chance."

Shad sighs. "It's a very long story, Professor, but to oversimplify it, you've just stepped into a legend."

The professor helps me work Vael up onto my back, draping the sorcerer's arms over my shoulders. Damn, Vael feels light. I get the feeling he's going to be recovering for a while.

When I turn towards the group, Byrne has Link draped over his shoulders again, and Impaz is bandaging Kafei's side. Zelda looks worried, Shad looks tired but determined, and the professor looks almost defeated. Anjean walks over and checks Link and then Vael.

"What do you think?" Zelda asks her.

Anjean just sighs. "I think they'll live, but they need rest, and the sorcerer especially needs food. We can take care of that when we reach my place, but is that all right, Princess?"

Zelda gives her a small smile. "It's quite all right, Anjean. I trust your judgement. Lead on, and we shall follow."

Right now, we really don't have much of a choice, do we? Our only option is to go to this place Anjean knows and hope Chambers can't find us there.

xXx

'This place' turns out to be a ranch along one of the smaller canyons, near the park. I have to chuckle at the irony of going right back into the canyons we just left, but I won't complain. The ranch is closed for the winter, so no one's here, and the snow shows no signs of anyone being up here but us.

At least the shakiness is gone by the time we get there. Link and Vael don't wake up, but I'll be surprised if either of them wake up before tomorrow night at the earliest.

Kafei disappears as soon as we arrive; I don't know where he goes, nor do I give a damn. Bastard can just go be pissy for all I care. If I have to pick between him and Vael, I don't even need to think about it. Vael's good in a fight, and Vael's _tolerable._ Impaz and Anjean go to cover our tracks, while the rest of us head into the ranchhouse. Byrne's carrying Link, I've got Vael, Shad has my shield, and Professor Sahasrahla has Zelda by the arm. The ground's slick; some of the snow has melted and refrozen into ice. It makes carrying a sorcerer's weight in dead weightjust a little _tricky._ Which means that Byrne and I are still outside when Zelda, Shad, and the professor reach the door and head inside.

It's fucking cold out here. I'm going to go inside, and then I'm not coming back outside for days, I swear. I hope there're some clothes here, because at the very least, Vael needs something to wear. Maybe when he feels up to it, he can magic himself up another robe or something.

"Master!" a high-pitched little voice yells. It's close.

I stop, turning towards the sound. What is it _now_? Damn it, don't tell me Chambers managed to track us...

"What's that?" Byrne asks.

"Master! I find Master!" the voice is _close_, and then the sound of flapping wings dives at me. I manage to duck, barely, and something flies past. I can see it now. It's a Keese.

No, wait, that's _not_ a Keese. It's... "Byrne, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"I'm not sure. Am I? I see what appears to be a flying doll," Byrne says flatly.

Unfortunately, no, that's what I see, too. It's a ball with legs and one large red eye, hovering in the air on a pair of Keese wings. And it's _purple_. It reminds me of Vaati the winged eye, in a way, only it's, well, a kind of cute looking doll. I'm not sure why it's moving or why it's _here_.

It flies straight for me, matching my dodge and landing easily on one of Vael's shoulders. Damn, the little thing's fast!

"Master?" It blinks down at Vael - is it a blink when there's only one eye to do it? - and then prods the sleeping man with one wing. "Master sleep?"

I'm not sure where it came from, but considering how it looks and that it's calling Vael 'Master'... "Your master's asleep right now," I say. "What do you need?"

"I feel power and come. Think Master need help." It squeaks, a little sadly, and its wings droop a little. "I late."

"He's not hurt." It's a bit of a lie, but... eh, what's a talking, flying doll going to do, anyway? It's cloth and magic, apparently, so it's not like the thing's built for combat.

It looks over at me, hopping down Vael's arm where it hangs over my shoulder so it can sit its little plush body on the bulky fabric of the jacket's cuff and watch me. "Master hard to track; he weak. He know you?"

I give it a flat look. "You could say that."

"Good. I not let enemy have him." It seems to puff itself up a little bigger at that.

Oh, _please_. What's a ball of fluff with wings going to do, kill me with cute? All I can say is Vael had better have some actual purpose in mind for this thing.

"We're all friends. Well, everyone _here_. There's a guy with dark purple hair; he doesn't like your master, so it's safe to say he's not going to like you. You should make sure he doesn't see you." Knowing Kafei, he'll just use the thing for target practice.

"That okay. I watch Master while he sleep."

Byrne looks at me. "Okay, in the name of not standing out here all night, is the little talking doll coming in with us, or should one of us chase it off?"

I look at it. It just blinks up at me, looking almost innocent. It knows Vael, apparently, but just because it knows how to track him doesn't mean it's friendly. I want to let it in, but I think Zelda expects a better explanation than what I've got.

"I not doll; I is Aifor! I stay with Master!"

I give it another flat look. Aifor? What a weird name. "How do we know he's really your master?" Hmm. "What's his name?"

"Master's name?"

"Yeah. What's his name? He took the time to name you, so surely he told you his?"

"I not know name. I know magic!"

"What's it talking about?" Byrne asks with a sigh punctuated by a big cloud of steam. It's getting cold fast, and there's a breeze starting that I'd really rather not have to stay out in much longer.

I shake my head. "I don't know."

"I know Master's magic!" It growls, tightening its little cloth claws around the fabric over Vael's arm. "Master's magic like wind. I know it; I track it! I felt windstorm and came!"

"A lot of mages use wind magic," Byrne says idly. "That doesn't mean much, little guy." He reaches over and nudges the little doll, trying to knock it off. "Shoo."

"No!" it shrieks. "I not leave! I know Master! Only one wind sorcerer! Only _one_!"

That's... huh. "What'd you say?"

It puffs itself up. "My Master is Wind Sorcerer. I know Master; I _find_ Master!"

"It goes inside with us, Byrne," I say, starting towards the door again. Good. Now I have proof for Zelda.

"Okay... Care to share what makes you say that?"

"You don't remember? Vael used to be known as the Wind Sorcerer. It's a pretty distinctive title."

Byrne sighs. "Oh, right. Wind Sorcerer Vaati or something like that."

"Yay, you know Master Vaati!" the little doll chirps. "Master tell me to tell no one his name because he hiding. No one ever use it before."

I have to laugh at that. "Yeah, you could say I know Master Vaati. Come on inside, little guy. It's warm in there."

"Yay!"

The house _is_ warm, thankfully. It means someone's been taking care of this place, which hopefully means it's not going to fall apart around our ears. I look around the front room. It looks... well, it kind of reminds me of an inn. This must be one of the ranches that accept guests during the summer. That's a good sign; if it takes guests, it's maintained, and the place has to have room for said guests.

Which means _beds_. "Hey, Byrne, do you have any idea where the beds are around here?"

"They're in the back!" I hear Shad call from somewhere farther in the house. "Some of the rooms just have one, but most of them have two each; I think we'll have to share rooms."

Like I have any problem with that. I wander down the hallway and pick a room at random. They're pretty sparsely decorated, a few simple pictures, a couple of small tables with lamps, two wardrobes, two beds with thick blankets; there's a window covered in a thick curtain. Eh, I've slept in far worse places. I walk in and ease Vael down onto one of the beds, pulling off his boots and my jacket and making him what I hope is comfortable under the blankets. I toss my jacket on one table just to get it out of my way while I work.

"Oh, here you are." Byrne steps inside and heads for the other bed, setting Link on it. "We might as well keep them together. It'll make it easier to keep an eye on them."

"I watch!" Aifor squeaks; it's sitting on my jacket, its wings folded at its sides.

Byrne sighs and unzips Link's jacket. "So I see."

"Here, I'll get him; you should probably go find the princess," I say, walking over so I can take Link's jacket off him. "One of us needs to explain what happened at the college."

"Oh, right." He sighs again. "I'm not looking forward to that, just so you know."

I toss Link's jacket on the table with mine - Aifor squeaks - and give Byrne a flat look. "I'm not exactly thrilled that both of my friends are unconscious or that the Master Sword's broken or that Vael pulled that stunt..."

"All right; point taken." He turns to go, but then he stops and pulls something out of his jacket. "Here, I think you should keep an eye on this."

It's the hilt of the Master Sword. I take it with a nod, not really knowing what to say. Byrne nods back and gives me a weak smile before disappearing into the hallway.

I look down at the hilt and grit my teeth. I lost track several lives ago of just how many long nights I've spent looking at this blade. I've helped Link find it; I've tested Link to see if he can wield it; I've even wielded it myself. And now it's broken.

Never thought I'd see the day.

I walk back over to the jacket-covered table and gently, reverently set the hilt down on Link's jacket. Aifor looks up at me, but I don't really pay it much attention. Instead, I finish getting Link settled in his bed.

Of course, it isn't long before Link and Vael are both resting peacefully in the two beds, and that's when I run out of things to do. I should probably go help the others get settled in, maybe even get a clue about just how far we are from the city, but I don't care. I close the door and lean against it, letting myself slide down the wood into a sit.

The Master Sword's broken. Link's unconscious, and I don't even know why. If I had to guess, though, it's connected to the sword. I just hope that doesn't mean it's permanent. Vael nearly killed himself with his stunt, but that stunt is all that kept the rest of us from getting killed by Chambers. I'm not worried about myself - as long as that warmth is wrapped around my heart, I'll come back for revenge - but none of the others have that. If anyone else dies, they're dead.

Chambers has the Triforce of Power, though something's wrong about it, and Garrimed has the other Master Sword, still intact but completely desecrated. I know Chambers isn't dead, so he's still working on whatever plan he has... or, well, he will be once he deals with having an eye blown out of his ugly skull. Garrimed's unpredictable. If he _was_ under control, then who knows what he'll do from this point or what's going to happen with that sword.

We've got what's left of our Master Sword plus the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage, and that's not counting my combat prowess and Vael's magical skill... assuming Vael's in any condition to keep fighting. Still, adding in Byrne and Anjean and Impaz, I think we might still have the advantage. Sure, Chambers has all of his monsters, but what are monsters to trained warriors?

At the same time, we're a small force, and who knows just how many monsters Chambers has at his disposal. And we have to be careful how we move against him, because Hyrule knows him as the Royal Historian and the head of the Project. The people think he's one of the people fortunate to survive the attack on the museum.

I slam one fist against the floor. It doesn't matter if we can _get_ to him. We need power to take him down, and right now, I'm not sure how much power we've really got.

I look over at Link and then let my head drop onto my raised knees. I don't know if Link can do it this time. Maybe I pushed him too hard, too fast...

Something lands on my hand; I wave it away, but it just comes back. It's soft and warm, like cloth.

"You okay?" Aifor. It has to be; nothing else has a voice so high-pitched.

I raise my head and look down at it. "No, not really."

"What wrong?"

"A lot's wrong, and I don't know what to do now." I feel kind of stupid talking to it, but I've got to talk to someone, and I kind of doubt a talking magic doll is really equipped mentally to judge me.

"Oh." It folds its little wings and half-closes its eye like it feels bad. Or maybe it's thinking. It's damned hard to read something that has one eye but no face. "Master feel lost a lot. He not know why he's here, but he keep moving."

I look past the little winged ball to the beds. "That's kind of hard to do sometimes."

"Maybe, but can't stop. Stopping means giving up."

"Did Master tell you that?" I'm not sure if that's something Vael would say or not. He tends to be practical.

"Nope. One of Master's friends say that."

"Oh? Who's this friend?"

Aifor seems to think about that. Or at least, I _think_ it's thinking. It has its eye half-closed, and it rocks slightly back and forth, flexing its little stiffened claws against my hand. "One of Master's... instructors," it says the word one syllable at a time, as if reciting it, "from academy. Master's friend like me. He say I proof Master strong but that Master must temper himself and be stronger."

"What does Master think about that?"

"I not know. Master not talk about it much, but I know it bother him."

That's right... "You say you know your Master. What do you mean?"

"I know his magic. I know how he feel, mostly. Like if he happy or sad. Right now..." It narrows its eye. "Right now, he sleep."

"You said you felt your Master's power and thought he needed help. Why?" I drape my arms over my knees, mostly just to bring Aifor closer.

Aifor squeaks sadly and pulls its wings tightly against its sides. "Master angry. Very very angry. More angry than I ever feel before."

"Yeah, I figured as much." I sigh. "It's okay. He's calm now."

"Are you?"

"No, I'm not."

It blinks a couple of times before saying, "You sleep. It okay. I watch Master and you and your friend."

"His name's Link."

"Okay. I watch Master and Link and you. You all sleep." It closes its eye and squeaks. "Go sleep."

A talking doll just gave me an order. I stare down at it, not sure exactly what I should think. "You're a lot like your master, you know that?" At the same time, I'm not accomplishing a damned thing sitting here thinking. I'm going to do nothing but worry about Link and Vael and Chambers and everything else if I stay up.

Aifor squeaks again and hops into the air, hovering in front of me for a moment before flying over to the table and making itself comfortable on my jacket. "You should sleep. Sleep help."

"I'm going," I mutter, climbing to my feet. Now the hard part. Link's in one bed, Vael in the other, and I didn't think to move the beds together when they were empty. Damn. I should've. Then I could just curl up between them.

Maybe tomorrow, assuming Vael's still asleep. Right now, I'm too tired to try moving anything. I kick off my boots and pull off both of my sweaters; I'd rather not try to sleep in those. I glance back and forth between the two of them, trying to decide who to climb in bed with. Really, though, it's not a hard decision.

Vaati and Shadow Link had something, but I don't know if Vael and I have anything. Well, we've got something, but compared to what Link and I have... I shake my head. I'm not thinking about that right now. Maybe tomorrow. I'll see what tomorrow brings, maybe talk a bit with Vael, but for tonight, I'm tired.

I climb under the covers with Link. In some ways, I do feel a little bad leaving Vael by himself, but one bed isn't going to hold all three of us, and I'm not moving that bed tonight. I'll see if I can convince Byrne to do it for me in the morning.

For now... I make myself comfortable and lean my head against Link's. For now, I just want to sleep.

And if I forget today by the time I wake up, so much the better.

"Goodnight, Link," I murmur. "Please don't sleep too long, all right?"


	22. Inner Silence

_Author's notes: _Starting with this chapter, this story is now full of _Skyward Sword _spoilers. Most of them are from the endgame and/or ending, so if you haven't completed SS yet, this is your official read-at-your-own-risk warning.

* * *

**Inner Silence**

"I don't want to fight you!"

"You do not always have the luxury of fighting by choice, Historian."

When in this whole chain of ever-increasing danger have I ever had a choice? "Then let me rephrase this. I'm not fighting you."

I'm so tired of fighting. I just had to face Chambers. I trusted Chambers; I respected that man in ways I've never respected emanyone/em else. And then there's Garrimed, and... This is all too much. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

"We can press the issue if we must," the traitor-hero says, his voice low.

I curl my hands in to fists. No, I won't take any more of this! "Look, I don't care if you're doing this as some kind of test or not. I don't care about whatever reason you have for doing this! This isn't the time for tests and games. I need _answers_!"

"We have to know that you're ready," the traitor-hero says, crossing his arms and giving me what's probably meant to be a piercing, intimidating look.

Somehow, that look doesn't bother me. I think I'm too angry to really care. "I'm well aware of _that_! I know what's on the line better than you do! This is my Hyrule, and I'm not about to stand back and watch her crumble."

"That may be true," he says flatly, "but to do what you want to do, you need to know exactly what you're capable of -"

"As if any of you knew what you were capable of until you had to. I've seen some of your memories; I know what happened! Maybe I am afraid; can either of you really blame me? Were you honestly _never_ afraid?"

"You must keep moving."

"Do you think I don't _know that_? I've had to face not one but two men I greatly respected, and both of them now want me dead! And all any of you can say is 'keep moving'. Are you here to help me, or are you only interested in trying to make me be like you?"

Neither of them say anything. The traitor-hero has the decency to look away from me.

"I am doing what I can. That is all I can do. I am _trying_ to keep going, to stay strong, to focus on what needs done. But Chosen Hero or not, I'm human first!"

"You should try to calm down," the traitor-hero says. "This isn't helping anything."

"Then maybe you should stop talking about steel and give me something that will actually help!"

The skeleton grabs the traitor-hero by the arm and pulls him away from me. They move just far enough away that I can't help them and have a little discussion between themselves. This should give me time to calm down, but it doesn't. I'm still angry, and I still have things to do, and -

"Send me back."

Neither of them acknowledge me.

"Send me back _now_!"

"Or what?" the traitor-hero says, sounding almost sad. "It isn't good to let your anger blind you."

"Nay, anger can be motivation enough if wielded properly."

It's a struggle to keep my voice calm, but I do what I can. "Dark and Vael and the others are still in that room with Chambers and Garrimed and probably a small army of monsters. If Time itself bows to us, then you can wake me up before the fight ends. I have to get back there before anyone dies!"

The traitor-hero shakes his head slowly and walks away.

The skeleton sighs heavily and walks towards me, pulling off his helmet. And he isn't a skeleton anymore. He's the Link with the ocarina again, though he's still wearing the armor.

"I'm sorry, but we can't send you back."

"What do you mean? You brought me here; you can send me back!"

"When the Master Sword broke... So did we, in a way."

"I don't feel broken." Then again, what does being broken feel like, anyway?

"You don't even notice, do you? We possess an unbreakable spirit, or so I've been told. Unfortunately, right now, your part of that spirit is shaky and cracked, for lack of a better word." He puts his hand on my shoulder. "I know you want to get back to them, but we can't send you back. Even if we could send you back into the fray, you might break entirely. You need to restore your faith in yourself. For now, you should stay here and rest, mayhap speak with some of us here, and trust in your friends.

"Dark is with them; they shall not go down easily."

That's true, yes. But that also means that Dark will have to fight alone... Then again, is that such a problem? He's much more skilled than I am; what if I've just been dead weight this whole time?

I stagger over to the dais and fall into an awkward sit. Have I done anything at all besides make things worse? What kind of hero does that? After all this time trying, have I really done anything...? No, I've helped people. I've saved people's lives.

That doesn't seem very comforting. The Master Sword is broken, so can the others even defeat Chambers? What if he wins...? It'll be my fault. All my fault.

Have we already lost? Have I failed? I don't know.

And I cry. Some tiny, still-rational part of me thinks that I shouldn't be crying right now, that I should be doing everything I can to get back to the others, but I just feel so defeated right now...

There are arms around me, a hand rubbing gently at my back. "Go ahead. Let it out. There is no shame in tears."

I don't really need the encouragement. I cry until I can't cry anymore, and then I just sit there, head in hands. I feel so numb now, numb and empty.

When I finally look up, the other Link leans back to give me space. He looks concerned, but there's also an understanding there that makes me wonder if he's ever had moments like this. I feel like a failure. Has he ever felt like this?

No, I know the answer. He regretted something enough to linger on... He knows how I feel.

Something creaks; the heavy door at the opposite end of the room eases open. I see green grass and blue sky outside, and a gentle breeze blows into the temple.

I stare blankly at it for longer than I really should before I realize what I'm seeing. If the temple is the center and our parts radiate outwards, and if the door opens to different places for each of us, then does this mean one of the others wants to talk to me? I can tell from here that I'm not looking out at Stronghold Canyon, and that's where my place was last time I was here.

So then, which hero wants to talk to me?

I end up having to clear my throat several times before I can speak, but I finally manage to call out, "Hello? Is someone there?"

I don't get an answer.

"You should go speak with him," the other Link says softly, rising to his feet and offering me a hand.

I stare at his hand for a while before taking it and letting him help pull me up to my feet. I'm steadier than I expected to be. I guess I'm only numb inside and not all over. It's strange; if this is inside my soul or head, shouldn't everything about me right now be a reflection of my mental state? I don't know.

And I probably shouldn't dwell on that too much. I force that thought away and walk over to the door. The other Link walks with me. The breeze gets more noticeable as we approach; the air is fresh and clean and carries the faint scent of flowers.

The door opens out onto another temple, this one dominated by a massive statue of a woman with wings. There's a building nearby, one that seems half-ruined by time, and the entire area is ringed by a dense forest. Here and there flowers sway in the breeze, and the air is filled with a feeling of age and calm and _relief _that I can't quite place.

I find myself looking up at the statue and wondering who she is. She looks nothing like any of the depictions of the goddesses that I've ever come across, but I'm not sure if that fact means much of anything. I almost ask the other Link if he knows, but when I look around, he isn't here. He must not have followed me through the door.

Then it's just me and whichever hero calls this place comforting. "Hello?"

"Hello."

I jump a little at the voice; I honestly wasn't expecting an answer. "Are you one of the heroes?"

"Of course I am. Who else would be here?"

"I just felt like checking." I know; it was a stupid question. I'm not sure why I had to ask it, but... I guess it's because that question gets an actual answer.

"I can understand that. You've been through a lot. If it helps, you aren't the first one to ask the occasional stupid question."

I'm sure he's trying to make me feel better, and that's why I fake a smile.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Honestly, I'd just like answers," I say. "I don't even care which ones they are. If you could tell me why I can't leave or how I could fix the Master Sword, I'd be very grateful, but if not... Then I'll take anything I don't know."

He sighs wistfully. "I know that's what you and several of the others call that sword, but that blade _isn't _the Master Sword."

"I know it isn't, but it's something to call it." I finally turn towards the voice.

He's laying on his back on the grass not too far from me; he looks about my size, with light brown hair. He's dressed about the same as most of the others - green tunic, red-brown pants, sturdy boots - but that's where the similarities end. I don't recognize him. Why don't I? I met all of the heroes the other day, didn't I? Why doesn't he look familiar?

He frowns. "Is something wrong?"

"You weren't there. I was here in the temple before, but you weren't there."

"Ah, that..." He glances away, embarrassed. "I watched from a distance, but no, I wasn't part of that. I've been keeping my distance from you."

"Why?"

"Because it's really awkward to keep meeting more and more heroes, especially since I'm..." he cringes. "I'm the reason this is happening."

"But the one who fought Vaati is the first... Isn't he? Wouldn't this all technically be _his _fault?"

"No. He fought Vaati. No one else has, unless we count what you did. The big threat to Hyrule over the millennia has been Ganon, and... He's my fault."

That doesn't make any sense! "How can Ganon be the fault of a hero? The hero always rise in reaction to Ganon, doesn't he?"

The other Link sighs and toys with one of his bracers. "See, that's the thing. What I defeated wasn't called Ganon, but as he fell, he..." He shakes his head. "He said that an incarnation of his hatred would follow me forever. I hoped he was wrong, and that it was just him insisting on getting in one last blow, but... I'm sure that Ganon is that incarnation, and a historian must be _painfully _aware of what Ganon has done over the centuries.

"I'm also the one who helped forged the Master Sword in the first place. And I'm not talking about the one that broke. I mean the _True _Master Sword."

"Then you know how to make a holy weapon! Could you help me fix the sword I broke? Failing that, can you help me make Mercykeen into a replacement?"

"No, I can't. I gathered the special flames to temper the sword, but... The flames were hidden by the Goddess, the sword was a sacred one either made or blessed by the Goddess, and Fi was the one who knew how to perform the tempering, not me. All I really did was gather the flames and wield the sword."

_The _Goddess? That must be who the statue is of. At the same time, since when was there only _one _goddess in Hyrule?

He sighs again and stands up, stretching. "I'm sorry I can't do more."

"That's okay. Well, not _okay, _but understandable." I sink to my knees on the grass. It's not _really_ understandable, but... I can't very well get mad at him for not being able to do something he isn't able to do, can I? That said, it isn't the answer I was hoping for, but at least it's an answer.

It's just as well I cried myself numb in the temple, or else I'd probably cry now. How badly have I messed everything up because I broke the Master Sword? The other Master Sword, whatever it's called. I'm confusing myself, I think. When I can think a little straighter, I should figure out some way to distinguish the two Master Swords.

"You don't look so good. Do you want some time to yourself?"

I close my eyes. "No, I don't. I don't really want to be alone right now. I'm just... I'm so confused. I don't think I've ever felt this lost before."

"It's a scary feeling, isn't it? It's been a long time since I last felt that way, and it stills makes me shiver."

"How did you deal with it?"

He chuckles, but it's without humor. "I didn't, really. Fi told me what I had to do, and I threw myself into my work just to distract myself from how much it hurt. It's kind of amazing how easy it is to ignore how scared I feel when I know what I have to do."

I think I can agree with that, but I'm not sure. So instead, I decide to change the subject. "I don't know you."

"I already told you that this is always kind of awkward."

"No, that's not what I mean. I've been having flashes of memories ever since I got the Master Sword - er, the one that broke, I mean. But I've never had a flash from you before... Why is that?"

"Why? Because the more time passes and the more heroes who rise, the more what I did is forgotten. I'm all right with that, but it means that anything you could remember from my life would just be even more confusing than anything from the others. At least with them, the important people were similar enough."

I shift position so I'm sitting properly instead of on my knees and then turn to look at him. "Confusing or not, I have an interest in this. I'm a historian; if you're willing to tell me, I'd like to know."

He seems to consider that, and then he grins at me. "I'm familiar with historians. Very well, if you wish to know, I'll tell you what I can. Where should we start?"

"If it wasn't Ganon, then who did you fight?" And why do I get the feeling that I remind him of someone?

His expression darkens. "I fought the Demon King Demise. I know you don't know the name, but... I tried to stop his weapon from freeing him, but I couldn't. Demise was freed, and we fought. It was a hard battle, but in the end, I struck him down. And then he cursed me, and that apparently led to your Ganon."

"You tried to stop his _weapon_?"

"Yes. His weapon called himself the Demon Lord Ghirahim. We fought several times, and -"

"No, you're misunderstanding me." Of course he doesn't realize how he's being confusing, but that doesn't make me any less confused. "How can a _weapon_ fight you? It's just a weapon, isn't it?"

He stares at me, clearly confused, for a long moment. Then something seems to dawn on him. "_Oh, _right. Well... Ghirahim is like - no, you don't know about her, either. Not a single one of you knows her..."

Why does he sound so sad when he says that?

I feel guilty for asking. "Her?"

"Fi."

He's mentioned her before; she helped him forge the Master Sword. I don't want to pry, but at the same time, I really want to know. I want every detail he's willing to tell me, even if I'll never be able to tell anyone what I learn.

"Will you tell me about her?"

He stares off into the sky for a long time. Then, finally, "Fi is the spirit of the True Master Sword. Well, kind of. She was the spirit of the sword before I helped her forge it into that, even."

Spirit of a sword? I've never heard of such a thing.

"The Goddess left her to guide me. I think the Goddess made her, which makes me wonder where Ghirahim came from... Oh, er, sorry." He looks embarrassed. "I'm probably confusing you, aren't I?"

"No, not much," I lie. "Does this mean Ghirahim is a sword spirit, too?"

"Yes. There are - were - two magical swords in my world. One was the True Master Sword. You know how that one looks. Fi is its spirit. The other one... I don't know if it ever had a name. It looked like, well, an evil version of the Master Sword, with a jagged edge and a black blade. Ghirahim is its spirit, and from what I saw, Ghirahim was obsessed with breaking the seal holding Demise."

Sword spirits... They must be sentient if they can do the sorts of things he describes, which makes them some kind of created intelligence. How much magical power does it take to create something like _that_? I know of the existence of several kinds of magical constructs, but suits of armor obeying simple commands are a far cry from _sentient_.

More questions than I can count whirl through my head, most of them appearing and being drowned out by others too fast for me to even properly hear. There is one question I catch, one question my head asks over and over.

"What happened to these sword spirits?"

The other Link looks a little pained at the question. "I'm not sure what happened to Ghirahim. I've always just assumed he was sealed away with what was left of his master. Fi, on the other hand, went to sleep within the Master Sword."

So one was sealed away and the other put to sleep... Why make the spirit sleep? Wouldn't a spirit like that be an incredible help to anyone else who might need the sword, like, oh, any of the heroes who've come after?

I shake my head; I'm getting distracted by things that don't really matter right now. It takes me a moment to backtrack through my thoughts to what he said last. So at least one spirit is sleeping...

"Do you think Fi is still there?" I've only had so many flashes of memories, but I've mostly sure that none of the others knew a Fi.

He gives me an odd look and shakes his head. "I decided several heroes ago that either she was still inside the blade asleep or she'd faded away. I used to hope she was still there sleeping, but then one of the others left the blade at the bottom of the ocean, and I don't know what to think now."

That only makes me remember the sickly blade Garrimed wielded, and I'm glad I'm already sitting down, because that thought makes my head reel.

"Are you all right?"

"I'll manage. That Master Sword isn't at the bottom of the ocean anymore. I don't know how, but it's here, and it's in the hands of one of my enemies."

"That shouldn't be possible. Evil can't -"

"I know. Chambers is a powerful mage; I don't know what he did to it, but it's not holy now." There's something else that I just realized: if Demise cursed the hero to forever face an incarnation of his hatred, and if Ganon really _was_ this incarnation, then... Now that Ganon is dead, does that mean that the incarnation has assumed a different form?

Is Chambers the next Ganon?

A loud clap pulls me roughly from my thoughts; I start to turn towards it but have to stop. The reeling in my head gets worse.

"I'm sorry. You're not in the best shape, and I've had to throw a lot at you. Here, I'll let you rest for a while. Come find me when you're feeling better, and then we'll talk more."

I want to protest, but I can't, really. When I can finally open my eyes again - not that I remember closing them - he's gone, and I'm alone on the grass. For lack of anything better to do, I look up at the statue of the Goddess. I wonder who she is...

Dark and Vael and all of the others... Are they still alive? I can't rest until I know.

I find the other Link not far away, laying atop a large piece of stone. Is he asleep? Do spirits need to sleep? What does it mean that I need to rest if this is all inside my head? I close my eyes and shove that thought away. No, I need to focus!

"Am I dead?"

He rocks his head towards me and stares at me for a long moment before sitting up. "No, you're still alive. You're _unconscious_, not dead."

"How long have I been here?"

"Time works differently in here. I can't say for sure."

I should've expected that. "Longer than a few minutes, at least?"

"Yes."

I sink down to my knees again and sigh in relief. If it's been longer than half an hour or so and I'm still alive, then that means that Vael and Dark figured something out. Chambers wants me dead; I wouldn't still be alive if he had me. That means I'm somewhere safe, and that Dark and Vael are somewhere safe.

Din, Nayru, and Farore be praised; the others are still alive.

It takes a while before I can pull myself out of my swirling thoughts again, but this time I don't really care. I'm just thankful that no one got killed because of my stupid mistake.

I finally brush those thoughts aside for now and look over at the other Link. He's sitting up now, staring up at the sky again. Why does he like doing that? No, it's not really my place to question his habits; I've got plenty of my own.

Ugh, I'm getting distracted so _easily _today; is this what the hero with the ocarina meant when he said I'm broken?

"Before I lose my train of thought again... What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Are you sure you don't need more rest?"

"Rest isn't helping! Please, let's just keep going while I can." What's going to happen to me?

The other Link sighs again. "I'm not sure if you need to hear plans right now."

"All right, then what _do _I need?"

"Your spirit needs fixing. I've had to test my spirit more than once. It's a hard test and a dangerous test, but it helped my spirit grow. I'm willing to test you like I was, if you're interested."

"I'm not fighting anyone."

He laughs at that. "No, there's no fighting. The test doesn't let you use any weapons. You have to rely on your speed and your wits."

My wits... That's a lot more appealing than relying on strength, honestly. I'm not sure I like the idea of another test, but if it can help me get my focus back, then...

"Tell me more."

"To be brief, you will be sent to another realm, somewhere you know that has been distorted. You will have no gear at all, and your task is to find and collect Tears of Light that have been scattered across the area."

"That doesn't sound particularly difficult."

"You won't be alone."

"So I'll just have to get to the Tears before anyone else, right?"

He shakes his head. "No, no one else is after the Tears. The others will be after _you_. And should they catch you, you fail."

"Oh." Find the Tears while everyone else tries to find me. I think I can do that.

"I won't make you do it. I'm just offering. It helped me; maybe it can help you."

"Can I see this distorted realm first and then decide?"

"That sounds fair."

No sooner does he say that than everything changes, the old temple and its flowers and grass shifts into red rock and dirt and high, high walls. It's Kakariko Canyon. I think I recognize this part, too; we're near the visitor center. There are a couple of tunnels and several trails around here. Here and there, I can see some kind of stones or crystals, all glowing green. Are those the Tears?

And yet, something's not right. The colors are muted, making everything look darker. The Tears are unaffected, so they stand out. I take a couple of steps, hearing the dirt and gravel crunch beneath my boots, and then I realize what's bothering me.

I'm the only thing making noise. I'm the only thing _moving_.

"What's your decision?"

I turn towards the voice and yell when I see a tall suit of creepy-looking silver armor standing nearby, holding the largest mace I have ever seen. No, I think it's a statue? Whatever it is, it's perfectly still. I've been through this before - what's going to make it start moving?

The other Link laughs. "Sorry, I probably should have told you what was going to be trying to stop you."

"This thing is what's going to be chasing me, isn't it?"

"Only when it's active. You're in a protective circle right now; when you leave it, they'll wake up. Each of the Tears will put them to sleep again for a little while. It won't be for very long, but it can be more than enough. Do you want to try?"

"What happens if it catches me?"

"Like I said, its purpose is to stop you before you get the Tears. If it catches you, you fail the test."

"Can I try again if I fail, or is this my one chance?"

He doesn't answer at first. "I'll be nice and give you another try if you need one. It would be better for you to pass it the first time; I'm not sure if you'll be in any shape for a second attempt."

Because something's happening to me, yes. That's what I'm trying to fix.

"So, are you willing to try?"

I'm not sure I am, honestly. But then I turn and see one of the Tears glittering not far from me. I'm not worried about growing spiritually so much as I am just getting my head back together. Even if I do find a way to wake up and go back to the others, I'm not going to be of much help if I keep getting lost in my thoughts.

I need my focus back. It's fairly low on the list of things we need, but it's the one I've got the best chance of actually getting, so I think I'm willing to risk it.

"I'll do it."

"All right, then. I'll see you when you're finished. Oh, right! I almost forgot; here, take this. You can store the Tears in it."

Take what? Oh, this thing in my hand. Where did it come from? It's vaguely leaf-shaped, long and slightly-curved with little empty round vessels attached to the sides. I count fifteen, so does that mean I'm going to have to find fifteen Tears?

I turn what I've been told over in my head. There's a Tear right there, in fairly easy reach, and if getting the Tear makes the statue things not give chase... I'll grab it first.

I take one last look around, noting the statue things here and there. There aren't many, so they don't have much of a numbers advantage. That's something. And they're large and either covered in metal or made of metal; either way, that much metal has to slow them down. So I'm only slightly outnumbered by things I can easily outrun.

Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

I nod to myself and decide to get moving before I talk myself out of this. As soon as I step foot outside the circle, the air fills with the sound of something breaking. The statue thing raises its head as its eyes light up with a flash. It raises its mace and charges at me.

I yell, startled, run for the Tear. There's a loud _whoosh _behind me as something very large passes very close. It isn't until I have the Tear in my hand and the air goes silent again that I realize what just happened.

That thing not only managed to catch up, but it swung that huge mace at me!

Shit, it's trying to _kill _me! I clutch the vessel for the Tears to my chest and try to calm down. It doesn't work.

The next several minutes are some of the most stressful in my life; I admit it. When I'm not running frantically for a Tear, I'm looking frantically around for the next one. I can't let myself stop moving for long; even when I know that they're not moving, I can still hear the clanking in my head.

Thrice damn it, another one of them is _right behind me_!

The statue things aren't the only things here. There are also things that look like floating capes with lights, and they don't stop moving. I watch one to figure out what it's doing, and that's when one I didn't see shrieks, and the statue things wake up again.

Oh, _shit_, where's a Tear? I need a Tear _now_!Wait, I see green over there - yes!

I scramble up piles of rocks and duck under trees and pass through the tunnels, dodging the capes with lights and grabbing Tears. Every Tear I add to the leaf-shaped vessel makes it hum stronger in my hands. That should make me feel better, but it doesn't. No matter how many I collect, the statue things eventually wake up and resume the chase.

Are more of the damned things showing up every time they give chase?

By the time I reach the final Tear, I'm ready to collapse. I'm so drained now, shaky and out of breath, and the only reason I don't hit my knees in relief is because I don't think I'll be able to get back up if I do.

"I've got all the damned Tears!" There's a catch, isn't there? I'm still here, so that must mean the test isn't over.

"Good job! There's just one thing left to do," the other Link says, his voice coming from out of nowhere. "You have to get back to the circle. Then it'll be over."

"_What_? Are you serious?"

"You've made it this far; you can do it!"

The damned statue things are going to wake back up, aren't they? I can't grab any more Tears because I've already all of them, so once they wake up, I'm _screwed_.

I have to force myself to start moving again, and honestly, I'm running on adrenaline. The thought of those damned things chasing me down with those massive damned maces is what I focus on as I keep running. I can see the circle; I'm almost there! The clanking starts up again, quickly getting closer.

Shit, I'm not going to make it! I grit my teeth and use the last of my strength to lunge for the circle.

As soon as I pass into the circle, everything goes still and silent again. Everything except my ragged breathing, that is. I spend a good while glancing back and forth, expecting one of the statue things to start moving again and charge straight into the circle with me.

That doesn't happen. What does happen is that I finally realize that I hear something that isn't just the mantra of profanity repeating itself over and over in my head. It's a voice.

It's the other Link. "Answer me already!"

"What?" I turn towards him. We're back at the old temple; I'm sprawled a bit awkwardly on the grass. When did I get back here?

He breathes a sigh of relief, visibly relaxing. "Oh, thank the Goddess. I was beginning to think your spirit didn't make it."

"I'm fine. It's just a little hard to hear you over the screaming in my head. For the record, you're an _ass_. You could have warned me."

He sighs. "You knew more about it than I did, and you had a choice."

I scowl down at the flower in my - what the? Instead of the vessel I had just a couple moments or so ago, now I'm holding a large green flower, its petals closed.

"What's this?"

"You could say it's proof of your growth." He flops down next to me, laying on his back and staring up at the sky. "If you want to know anything more, you'll have to ask yourself. It's yours, after all."

That's not the slightest bit helpful, I decide. I shift position so I can lay comfortably on my back. What is it about the sky that fascinates him so much? There are a lot of clouds drifting above us, but I don't see anything unusual...

Staring up at the clouds does at least give me a chance to calm down and stop repeating curses. I don't complain; profanity is more Dark's domain than mine, anyway. Maybe I should tell him about the test once things calm down. Then again, knowing him, he'd find it hilarious, so maybe I shouldn't.

I'll figure that out later.

"Do you think my spirit is fixed?" I finally ask.

"I'm not sure. If it helps, you seem a bit steadier now."

That's something, at least. I hold the flower up so I can look at it; it's still closed. "Is this supposed to do anything?"

He shrugs. "I'm not exactly sure. For me, it bloomed, but... Well, I was taking being tested by the Goddess at the time, so there was a reward involved."

I watch the flower sway in the breeze for a moment, wondering if there's any kind of reward for piecing myself back together. I'm not even sure if what I just did counts as putting myself together or just as me getting talking into a meaningless test.

All things considered, I haven't made much headway on the whole "getting answers" thing. I think I'm going to try fixing that problem.

"You were going to tell me something before that test."

"Huh?" He doesn't say anything for a while, but then, "Oh, right! I must've gotten more distracted by that than I thought. I believe I know a way to fix the Master Sword."

I prop myself up on one elbow so I can give him a flat look. "Earlier, you said you couldn't."

He looks confused for a moment, but then he waves a hand in the air. "Oh, no. I can't fix the one you broke, but there's a chance I can undo whatever this Chambers did to it."

"Even the slightest chance is better than nothing. You've got my attention."

"Fi."

I frown. The sword spirit? Didn't he say that last he knew, she was sleeping inside the sword? Wait. Sleeping inside the Master Sword... and what happens if someone were to wake her...?

"Do you think she could break the magic if she was awake?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but there's something I left out earlier. She called me 'master'. She served me. I didn't really know what to think about it, so I preferred not to think about it, but..." He sets his lips in a grim line. "She knows me. We may not be able to undo whatever Chambers did to the blade, but at the very least, if she's awake, she should be willing to fight with us instead of against us."

I consider that. I'm pretty sure that Chambers simply corrupted the sword enough to make it lose its holiness, which might not have been that difficult considering it's been at the bottom of the ocean for centuries now. Huh, I can't believe I didn't think of this before: is the Master Sword _unholy_, or did Chambers just manage to overpower whatever magic it is that makes it so only the chosen hero can wield it? I think I'd feel better about this whole situation if it's the latter. If it's the former, I think I'm even more terrified of Chambers than I already was.

"That might work, but how am I supposed to wake Fi?" She hasn't woken for any other hero, but is that because they didn't know to even try, or because she won't wake up for anyone who isn't this Link?

"I'm not sure you can. I'm sure I can if I just get the chance, but..."

How's he going to do that? Then again, when I drift into memories like I do sometimes, is it that I'm remembering being another Link, or is it that the part of me that was a specific Link is temporarily taking control? If it's a control thing, then there might just be a way for me to yield control to this Link, even if it's only for a few moments.

It might just be enough... and at any rate, I don't have any better ideas. All I can think to do is try to get the Master Sword away from Garrimed and Chambers so they can't use it against us. If waking Fi will help me do that, then it's worth a try.

Of course, all of this assumes that there's still a Fi left after all this time.

"If Fi isn't still there, then this is all for nothing."

"I know." The other Link nods. "If I can just get close to it, I think I'll know one way or the other. If she's not, then you'll have to find another way, but if she is, then I can try to wake her if you're willing to let me try."

How will he know? "I was close to it before I passed out and came here."

He sighs. "Yes, and I wasn't exactly paying attention to what you were doing. And I realized a long time ago that I was the only hero who knows Fi. Why would I even check at all?" He looks away. "This might cause problems, though. You'll have to try and call me up at the right time, and I don't know how much control I'll need to do what I need to do. And I don't know what kind of effect it could have on you."

"I see..." No, of course he doesn't. Why would he? Weird dreams are normal. Flashes of another hero's memories are a lot less normal but still understandable. Actually waking up part of me that's sleeping and making or letting it have control of me? That's never happened before, at least as far as I know.

Assuming I'm remembering right, every time I've been controlled by an earlier hero, it was after I got lost in memories. Every time, something has happened to jolt control over to them and then back to me. I've never consciously and actively given another hero control.

It's kind of a scary thing to even consider. What if I give him control and then he won't or can't give it back to me?

Assuming there's still a Fi in the Master Sword and assuming I can get close enough to it without getting killed and assuming I can yield control to the other Link on command and assuming that he can wake her up and assuming that will accomplish something useful... _Thrice_, those are a lot of assumptions.

I can't completely rule any of it impossible, either. There are many parts of the myths that I thought were metaphorical and not literal, but considering the bizarre things that have happened lately, and _especially _considering the fact that I'm apparently somewhere in my own head so another part of me can reassure me...

I fall back onto the grass. Farore, I don't know if this is real or if I'm hallucinating.

"It's just an idea, anyway," he says, finally, his voice soft. "It might not work."

I decide that it's worth keeping in mind. I'm not going to feel comfortable trying it until I can deal with some of those assumptions, but I'm also not willing to rule it out.

"First things first, I've got to find where Garrimed and the Master Sword are. We'll see what happens from there." I sigh and close my eyes. Am I going crazy? Maybe I already am and just haven't realized it.

No, I don't think I'm crazy. I'm just stressed out.

"I need to wake up."

"There's a reason you're still here," the other Link replies.

"I thought that test of yours was supposed to fix what was broken!"

"It did. Just because you're not broken now doesn't mean you're ready to wake up. I think there's still something you need to come to terms with."

And I think I know what. "And just how am I supposed to do that?"

He shrugs. "I'd say that depends on what you need to come to terms with, honestly."

"I was told I'm afraid of my power." I don't really like admitting that, but I don't really have much of a choice. I want to get back to the others. I _need _to get back to Dark and Vael.

"Ah." He sits up and stretches. "What kind of power do you have that's so frightening?"

I raise my hand to show the mark of the Triforce on it. There's really no need to say a word.

"Why are you afraid of the Triforce?"

"If you know what it is, you know what kind of power it has. It's dangerous."

"Yes, it is. That means you have to be careful when you use it, but being afraid of it is only going to make it harder to use it when you need it." He turns to look up at the sky again. "And you probably _will _need it."

"I know I will. Someone out there has the Triforce of Power, and I'm afraid I know where it is." It always went to Ganon, always to the person threatening Hyrule. Logic says that it did the same this time, and the person threatening Hyrule is...

"Then if you know you'll need it, why are you so afraid of it?"

I shake my head. "I'm not afraid of my power. I'm just afraid that I'm going to have to kill someone I used to respect."

"Then you're afraid of your destiny."

"What? I don't have any problem defending Hyrule!"

He gives me a sad, faraway look. "Some things have to be done. I wanted to do whatever I had to do to rescue Zelda... and that meant that I had to forge the Master Sword and eventually fight the Demon King. If I didn't do it, then..." He looks away.

I don't press him; I don't think it's right to make him talk about it if he doesn't want to. "How did you deal with the fear?"

"My best friend's life was on the life. If I failed, then she was going to die. I didn't have time to be afraid. In my experience, that works. And I wasn't alone; I had Fi with me."

That's right; he had the Master Sword, and Fi was the spirit of the blade... "Will you tell me about Fi?"

"That's a really long story. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

I sit up and look down at the closed flower in my hand again. "If I might be fighting with her... Yes, I'd like to know."

He sits back down and grins at me. "All right. It'd probably be easiest to just tell you everything in order. It all started the day of the Wing Ceremony..."


End file.
